Irani Trophy Day 2: Stuart Binny smashes quickfire ton as Karnataka take control

Stuart Binny puts Karnataka in command

Karnataka all-rounder Stuart Binny had to miss the Ranji Trophy final, as he was on national duty for the ODI series against New Zealand. The 29-year-old, though, wasted no time in making amends on his return to his Ranji team as he smashed his way to a quickfire hundred on day 2 of the Irani Trophy game, which took the score to 390/5, to put his team in the driver’s seat at the Chinnaswamy stadium, Bangalore.

Binny, the son of former Indian all-rounder Roger Binny, reached his 8th First-class hundred in just 82 balls as he tore into the Rest of India (ROI) attack. Binny finished the day on 115* off 107 deliveries, collecting 14 fours and 3 sixes along the way.

The 29-year-old, retained by his IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals for the next three seasons, was involved in a massive 187-run partnership with Karun Nair, who himself made 92 before getting out in a rather unlucky manner to Pankaj Singh. The partnership came in a little less than 30 overs as Karnataka took control of the match.

Earlier in the day, Karnataka’s KL Rahul and Manish Pandey both got good starts but failed to convert them into big scores. Batting at No.3, Ganesh Satish made 84 and was involved in partnerships with both Rahul and Pandey. When Satish got out with the score reading 188/4, it looked like ROI might have a small window to comeback and make a match of it.

Little did anyone know that Binny was going to come in and snatch the game away on his own. Binny went on the attack from the get go and took on the likes of Ashok Dinda, Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra. Karun Nair too joined in as Karnataka’s run rate rocketed up before the second new ball was taken.

The second new ball, taken as soon as it became available, did not bring about a change in ROI’s fortunes, though. Pankaj Singh and Anureet Singh both took a hammering from Binny, who brought up his hundred with a flick to the on-side in the 87th over.

ROI finally managed to break the partnership when Pankaj Singh got Nair to play on, but wicket-keeper CM Gautam and Binny played out the remainder of the day without too much trouble.

With a lead of 189 runs and 5 wickets in hand, the Ranji champions look all set to become the first team since Railways in 2005-06 to do the Ranji Trophy and Irani Trophy double.

Scoreboard:

Rest of India (1st innings): 201

Karnataka (1st innings): Robin Uthappa c Jadhav b Dinda 0 (5b); Lokesh Rahul b Anureet 35 (63b, 7×4); Ganesh Satish c Jadhav b Harbhajan 84 (180b, 11×4); Manish Pandey c Karthik b Pankaj 36 (47b, 7×4); Karun Nair b Pankaj Singh 92 (161b, 12×4); Stuart Binny (batting) 115 (107b, 14×4, 3×6); Chidambaram Gautam (batting) 6 (29b). Extras (b-16, lb-2, nb-4): 22. Total (for 5 wkts, 98 overs): 390.

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Uthappa, 0.5); 2-75 (Rahul, 22.5); 3-136 (Pandey, 38.5); 4-188 (Satish, 61.3); 5-375 (Nair, 90.4).

Bowling: Ashok Dinda 23-5-93-1; Pankaj Singh 23-6-78-2; Anureet Singh 21-5-78-1 (1nb); Amit Mishra 14-2-56-0 (3nb); Harbhajan Singh 14-2-56-1; Baba Aparajith 3-1-11-0.