KPL 2017: Rain plays spoilsport as Shivamogga-Belagavi clash gets washed out

The clash between Namma Shivamogga and Belagavi Panthers seemed to be a cracker, but a powerful bout of rain in Hubbali forced the Karbonn Smartphones Karnataka Premier League 2017 match, powered by Cycle Pure Agarbathies, to be abandoned after just 11.4 overs of play at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium on Saturday (16 September).

Shivamogga were struggling at 75 for 6 when rain interrupted play and eventually forced abandonment. It was the first match of a double-header.

The skies opened up at about 4.13pm but the force of the downpour was such that, despite a long wait during which the groundsmen and Super Soppers were on overdrive, play remained impossible. There were inspections at 5.20pm and then at 5.50pm, but with prognosis increasingly negative, the match was officially called off at 6.20pm.

Earlier, Shivamogga were put in and Abrar Kazi and Liyan Khan made a confident start. There were a couple of early boundaries, but when Stuart Binny dismissed Kazi (12) with an off-cutter that forced the batsman to get into his shot too early, it prompted a slide.

Liyan (14) had been timing the ball well but was unfortunate to be run-out when attempting a quick single, S Rakshith doing well to find the stumps with a direct hit from mid-off. Abdul Majid was trapped in front soon after by S Arvind before R Jonathan looked to play on the up, miscued and skied an easy catch Arvind off D Avinash. GS Chiranjeevi didn’t last long either, caught behind off Stallin Hoover, and Shivamogga were reduced to 33 for 5 in the seventh over.

All the while, Shoaib Manager assiduously scored a run-a-ball 19. Akhil Balachandra, the captain, meanwhile tried to power through difficulties, and for a while there, he was successful. There were huge sixes, straight down the ground and over square leg, off Kishore Kamat in the 11th over. Buoyed by them, he attempted another, but this one was too flat and it ended up with the fielder at deep square leg. Rain forced the players off soon after, and that was that.

Brief scores: Namma Shivamogga 75 for 6 in 11.4 overs (Shoaib Manager 19*; Stuart Binny 1-9) v Belagavi Panthers. (match called off due to rain, points shared)