Sachin Child in motion.
| Photograph Credit score: R.V. MOORTHY
A conservative, unbeaten half-century from captain Sachin Child helped Kerala put up 206 for 4 in opposition to Gujarat on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy semifinal on the Narendra Modi Stadium right here on Monday.
The day’s play was a battle of persistence as both facet refused to offer the opposition an inch. Regardless of selecting solely 4 wickets within the day, the Gujarat bowlers will likely be buoyant with the managed run price whereas Kerala will look to take positives from the cussed batting it employed in opposition to the host.
Kerala bought off to a strong begin after opting to bat on the black soil floor as openers Akshay Chandran and Rohan Kunnummal safely waded via the preliminary hour of play with little or no on provide for the pacers.
Regardless of a number of disjointed calls whereas operating between the wickets, the dugout spurred the batters on with orchestrated claps because the pair introduced up the fifty-run partnership within the 18th over. The coordination points finally proved deadly as Kunnummal bought Akshay down the river trying a dangerous single to further cowl.
Kunnummal perished a number of overs later, unable to place the run-out episode behind him, trapped in entrance by a Ravi Bishnoi googly. Child and debutant Varun Nayanar stitched a 93-ball stand, however with the scoreboard progressing very slowly, Gujarat managed to exert some stress and prise out the younger batter for 10.
The sport of attrition continued after Jalaj Saxena walked to the crease, and regardless of the duo managing to seek out boundaries persistently, Kerala couldn’t handle an uptick in its run price.
Left-arm pacer Arzan Nagwaswalla accounted for Jalaj after the tea break, forcing him to play on after a 71-run affiliation with Sachin off 168 balls.
The stonewalling continued after the autumn of the wicket as Mohammed Azharuddeen and Sachin held fort until the tip of day’s play, forging a 49-run stand in 21 overs.
The scores:
Kerala — 1st innings: Akshay Chandran Run Out 30, rohan kunnummal lbw b bishni 30, varun nayanar c urvil b priyajitsinh 10, Sachin Child (Batting) 69, Jalaj Saxena B Nagwaswalla 30, Mohammed Azharuddeen (Batting); Extras (LB-4, W-1, NB-2): 7; Whole (for 4 Wkts. 89 Overs): 206.
Fall of wickets: 1-60, 2-63, 3-86, 4-157.
Gujarat bowling: Gaja 18-5-36-0, Nagwaswalla 16-4-39-1, Priyajitsinh 12-0-33-1, Jaymeet 9-1-26-0, Bishnoi 15-2-33-1, DSAI 16-8- 22-0, Jayswal 3-1-13-0.
Toss: Kerala.
Revealed – February 17, 2025 07:17 pm IST
