Stylish middle-order batsman D Vinay Kumar waged a spirited battle to pull hosts Hyderabad out of the woods against Karnataka on the opening day of the Group B Elite Ranji Trophy cricket match in Hyderabad on Monday.

Thanks to his 65-run knock, Hyderabad managed to score 171 before being bowled out in their first innings.

In reply, the visitors were 64 for 3 at draw of stumps.

Karnataka's medium pacers ripped through the top Hyderabad batting order with a fiery line, reducing the team to 41 for 3 before youngster Anirudh Singh and Vinay Kumar stemmed the rot with a cautious approach.

After medium pacer Aiyappa dismissed Anirudh for 23, Vinay Kumar held on with resolute resolutely and went on to compile a hard-fought 65 off 154 balls with the help of eight hits to the fence.

The only other batsman to stand among the ruins was speedster Vishnuvardhan, who blasted a blazing 25 in 15 balls with one six and two fours.

For Karnataka, Aiyappa claimed 3 for 51, while Venkatesh Prasad, Dodda Ganesh and Sunil Joshi took two wickets each.

In reply, Karnataka were 64 for 3 with Roland Barrington (25) and Venkatesh Prasad (2) at the crease.

Speedster Fiaz Ahmed claimed two for 18.

Scoreboard

Hyderabad (Ist innings):
D Manohar lbw Prasad 4
Nandakishore c B Rolland b Ganesh 4
A Singh c Arunkumar b Aiyappa 23
Vinay Kumar c Prasad b Aiyappa 65
Arjun Yadav b Aiyappa 0
I Kaleel lbw Binny 9
M F Ahmed c Rolland b Prasad 1
Shivaji Yadav c T Naidu b Ganesh 39
V Raju c Rolland b Joshi 0
Vishnuvardhan not out 25
NP Singh c Utappa b Joshi 0

Extras: (lb-4, nb-3) 7

Total: (all out in 63.3 overs) 177

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-8, 3-41, 4-41, 5-65, 6-72, 7-131, 8-136, 9-176.

Bowling: B K Venkatesh Prasad 16-4-27-2, Doda Ganesh 19-3-60-2, Aiyappa 15-6-51-3, S Binny 3-0-11-1, S Joshi 10.3-4-24-2.

Karnataka (Ist innings):
J Arun Kumar c I Kaleel b F Ahmed 15
R Barrington batting 25
R Utappa c V Raju b F Ahmed 12
V Bharadwaj lbw  b D Manohar 8
BK Venkatesh Prasad batting 2

Extras: (lb-1, nb-1) 2

Total: (for 3 wkts, in 26 overs) 64

Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-44, 3-61

Bowling: NP Singh 9-2-12-0, Vishnuvardhan 4-0-20-0, Fiaz Ahmed 8-3-18-2, Danial Manohar 4-1-12-1, V Raju 1-0-1-0.