Ranji Trophy: An action-packed day one. The batting teams have an advantage after the first day’s play. Kerala and Vidarbha won the toss and decided to bat first. The decision worked well for both. Sachin Baby’s Kerala has lost just wickets and scored 206 runs against Gujarat at the Narendra Modi Stadium A Ground in Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, Akshay Wadkar’s Vidarbha scored at 3.5 runs per over for the loss of five wickets in Nagpur.
Sachin Baby stands tall for Kerala
Kerala has entered as the underdogs but started very well in the first Ranji Trophy semifinal. Akshay Chandran and Rohan Kunnummal stitched a 60-run stand for the opening wicket, but some good bits of fielding combined with some nifty bowling from Ravi Bishnoi got Gujarat back into the game.
Priyajitsing Jadeja joined the party and sent Varun Nayanar to the pavilion. From 60/0, Kerala was 86/3. That’s when captain Sachin Baby took control. He ended the day unbeaten. Stitching a 71-run stand with Jalaj Saxena first and then an ongoing partnership of 49 with wicketkeeper Mohammed Azharuddeen. At 206/4, Kerala would feel fine. But Gujarat will also believe that they are very much in the game.
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Shivam Dube takes 2 wickets against Vidarbha
The reigning champions, Mumbai, aren’t where they would like to be. In what is a rematch of the last Ranji Trophy final, Vidarbha may have taken a slight lead in the semifinal. Four batters have scored over 40 but haven’t been able to get into the triple digits. Dhruv Shorey and Danish Malewar will be rueing the fact that they missed getting hundreds.
Shivam Dube got the in-form Karun Nair and Parth Rekhade. Both were well set, and the all-rounder’s handy bowling helped keep Mumbai in the game. Apart from Dube, Shams Mulani was the other bowler who did well. The left-arm orthodox spinner bowled tight and was the one who got the scalps of Shorey and Malewar.
Vidarbha is still very much in control with Yash Rathod and captain Akshay Wadkar still playing. Both have added 47 runs together and would hope to add more to the partnership. Mumbai has time to strike back, given four days are still left, but mind you, a first-innings lead could mean victory in case of a draw.
