Two timely half-centuries by lower order batsmen Hemal Vatekar and Ashraf Makada helped Gujarat rally from a disastrous situation and take a first innings lead of 84 runs on the second day of the Ranji Elite Group 'A' match against Karnataka, at the Motera stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.

Replying to the visitors' first innings of 163, Gujarat, resuming at the overnight score of six runs this morning, lost the entire top order in the first 23 overs as the Karnataka pacers exploited the early morning conditions, but did well to end their first innings on 247.

They then had Karnataka one down for 68 runs in the second innings by close of play.

N C Aiyappa and B Akhil were Gujarat's most successful bowlers, claiming three wickets each.Scorecard

Scorecard

Karnataka (1st innings): 163

Gujarat (1st innings):
N Modi b Aiyappa 6
A Christian b Aiyappa 12
A Bilakhia lbw b Vinay Kumar 2
N Patel c Naidu b Aiyappa 5
M Parmar c Somasunder b Joshi 46
A Brahmehatt c Naidu b Akhil 20
K Damani c Naidu b Binny 0
H Watekar not out 64
A Makda b Akhil 62
S Trivedi b Akhil 9
H Majmudar lbw b Joshi 10
Extras (lb 7, w 1, nb 3) 11
Total (all out, 80.5 overs, 353 mins) 247

Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-21, 3-21, 4-40, 5-66, 6-67, 7-127, 8-212, 9-224, 10-247

Bowling: Vinay Kumar 20-4-59-1 (1w), Aiyappa 22-6-58-3, Joshi 19.5-4-61-2, Shinde 1-0-2-0, Akhil 15-3-43-3, Binny 3-0-17-1 (3nb)

Karnataka (2nd innings):
A Uthappa not out 38
B Rowland c Modi b Trivedi 7
B Chipli not out 21
Extras (w 1, nb 1) 2
Total (1 wicket, 18 overs) 68

Fall of wickets: 1-25

Bowling: Trivedi 6-3-12-1, Makda 6-1-30-0, Majmudar 4-0-21-0 (1nb), Watekar 2-0-5-0 (1w).