Mithun Beerala announced his arrival into first class cricket from the roof tops by top scoring in each innings for Karnataka against Andhra at Kakinada earlier this season. In a match that Karnataka eventually won by 46 runs after conceding the first innings lead, Beerala's twin half centuries were crucial in tilting the scales. Indeed Karnataka's hopes of qualifying for the Super League were on a knife's edge before this game and a loss to Andhra at this stage would have virtually shown them the door, so the importance of Beerala's two gems can be imagined. In the first innings, he raced to 83 off just 96 balls, including seventeen hits to the fence, betraying none of the customary nervousness that you would expect of a debutant.

Karnataka could only make a modest 248 and when Andhra led by 83 on the first innings, the Karnataka batsmen had their work cut out to give their bowlers some runs to play with when Andhra went in again. Beerala added 101 for the first wicket with the experienced J Arun Kumar and just when he was looking good to join the select band of batsmen who've made a century on maiden appearance, he was tragically run out six runs short of the three figure mark. Compiled from 133 balls, his knock included 10 fours and a six and helped set up Karnataka's victory platform. Beerala has come to terms with the disappointment, suggesting that he had been fortunate to escape an old curse, for with the magnificent exception of GR Viswanath, no centurion on debut for Karnataka has gone on to represent the country.