KPL 2018: Naga Bharath seals Bijapur Bulls win with last-ball six
Then with nine needed off the final over which became six off the final ball, Bharath swung a poor Karthik delivery way over the fine-leg boundary to seal it for Bijapur. It was also a no ball
FollowMysuru: KC Cariappa may not have been at his best out on the field but with the ball he sent down one of the most telling spells in this edition of the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) 2018 to bring Bijapur Bulls back into a game which was running away from them.
Boosted by that spell of 4-0-11-3 and powered by a late, calculated assault from Naga Bharath (72 not out, 46b, 6x4, 2x6), which included a last ball six when six were required for a win, the Bulls went on to record their first win from four games. It also meant that the Tuskers, with their fourth loss and one no result in five matches are as good as out of the tournament.
Also read: KPL 2018 schedule
After Cariappa’s fine spell of spin bowling had kept the Tuskers total down to 152 from a likely 180 when their openers Rohan Kadam and CA Karthik were going hard at it, the Bulls themselves were making very heavy weather of the chase at the SNDR Wadiyar Stadium on Sunday night (August 26).
Openers Bharath Chipli and Shishir Bhavane had modest contributions of 27 and 31 but that apart the rest, save for Bharath, were a no show. It didn’t affect the small-made number four, who bided his time until the 16th over when he slammed Karthik for a six and four off successive balls.
Then with nine needed off the final over which became six off the final ball, Bharath swung a poor Karthik delivery way over the fine-leg boundary to seal it for Bijapur. It was also a no ball.
If it was all about the finish for Bijapur, for the Tuskers the start to their innings was the key. The Tuskers openers, Kadam (52, 40b, 3x4, 2x6) and Karthik (45, 24 balls, 5x4, 2x6) were let off on 8 and 22 respectively and went on to raise 65 from 6.2 overs, which was followed by a more sedate 49 from 44 for the second wicket between Kadam and Devdutt Padikkal (22).
These were the only three batsmen to cross double figures as the Bijapur bowlers tightened the noose. Of course no one was tighter than Cariappa. Appanna didn’t do badly either, grabbing 2-15 from his three overs. All this meant that Ballari, 64 for no loss at the end of the six Power Play overs, didn’t quite get the 180-odd they seemed on course for.
On the night, with Bharath around, they needed to.
Brief scores: Ballari Tuskers: 152/9 in 20 overs (Rohan Kadam 52, CA Karthik 45, Devdutt Padikkal 22; KP Appanna 2-15, KC Cariappa 3-11) lost to Bijapur Bulls: 154/8 in 19.5 overs (Bharath Chipli 27,  Shishir Bhavane 31, Naga Bharath  72; SL Akshay 3-30, Ritesh Bhatkal 2-20) by 2 wickets. Â
Monday (August 27) - Rest Day
