It would be now or never for Karnataka

Mysore, Dec 8 (UNI) Hosts Karnataka need to score an outright victory over Saurastra to make it to the knockout stage of the Ranji Trophy match from elite a group in the tie beginning here tomorrow.

The hosts have nine points from four matches while Saurastra has ten points from same number of matches.

Though on paper, Karnataka are clear favourites. However, their topsy turvy performance against Rajasthan in the previous match enabled the later garner their first point after four rounds.

A fine century skipper Yere Goud and two half centuries by their most dependable batsman international player Robin Uthappa enabled the team to split points.

In the bowling department, veteran spinner Sunil Joshi who has been among the wickets in all matches, would be supported by the K P Appanna and Aiyappa.

Karnataka has a bright chance of winning the encounter since they have played in the same ground and know better then their opponents which has been playing true cricket and full of runs.

The team management has excluded the confidence better performance Saurastra team manager and physico Arjun Singh Rana said the team did not do well in first innings against Tamil Nadu, but the team came pretty strongly in the second innings and hoped to give a better performances against Karnataka here.

The Karnataka coach Vijay Bhardwaj indicated that his team has strived to force an outright win in the match. It is looking for a spot in the knockout phase.

The two teams had their practise sessions at the Gangothri glades grounds since last two days the team which would win the toss expected to bat first which has full of runs and expected to turn on day three and four.

The match was earlier scheduled to be held at infosys grounds, however, the venue has been changed to gangothri grounds.

Teams: Karnataka-Yere Gowda (Capt) Robin Uthappa, K B Pawan, B Chipili, C Raghu, Thilak Naidu (WK) B Akhil, Sunil Joshi, R Vinay Kumar, N C Aiyappa, K P Appanna, Sudhindra Shinde, Devaraj Patil, Dhananjaya and Gaurav Dhiman.

Saurastra: Jayadev Shah (Capt), Firoz Babhaniya, Bhushan Chauhan, Rakesh Dhuruv, Ravindra Jadeja, Sandeep Jobanputra, Sagar Jogiyani, Shitanshu Kotak, Kamlesh Makavana, Sandip Maniar, Pratik Mehta, Sandil Natkan, Jayadesh Odedra, Chetheshwar Pujar, Nikhil Rathod and Kanniyya Vaghel.

UNI