On day two of the Ranji Trophy final in Nagpur, Kerala reached 131 for 3, trailing Vidarbha’s score of 379. Aditya Sarwate scored a vital unbeaten 66, aided by Ahammed Imran’s 37, while Darshan Nalkande took two wickets for Vidarbha. Vidarbha, previously the finalists, set a challenging score, with key contributions from Malewar (153) and Nair (86). The innings included a crucial 44-run stand between Nachiket Bhute and Harsh Dubey for the tenth wicket, extending their total. In response, Kerala’s pacers, especially MD Nidheesh and Eden Apple Tom, helped control the match momentum against Vidarbha’s batting.
Kerala 131 for 3 (Sarwate 66*, Imran 37, Nalkande 2-22) trails Vidarbha 379 (Malewar 153, Nair 86, Nidheesh 3-61, Apple Tom 3-102) by 248 runs
Despite being the finalists in the previous edition, Vidarbha set a formidable total. Nachiket Bhute, who batted at No. 11, contributed a vital 32 runs off 38 balls. His partnership of 44 runs with Harsh Dubey for the tenth wicket allowed Vidarbha to extend their first session from the intended two-and-a-half hours to three hours, culminating in a score of 379.
The day commenced with Vidarbha at 254 for 4, and runs were flowing quickly. Thakur sent the first delivery of the day to the midwicket boundary and followed it up with another boundary to square-leg on the fifth delivery of the next over. Nidheesh found some swing and made adjustments to maintain pressure on the batters, but Apple Tom’s lines proved erratic, leading to being driven when bowling full.
After Basil’s introduction, Vidarbha slowed down as he provided valuable support to Nidheesh and helped his team maintain control. During the 95th over, Nidheesh forced an outside edge off Thakur, but it fell short of gully. In the following over, Basil managed to nip one back and clean bowled Malewar, ending his innings at 153.
Basil continued his success by dismissing the other well-set batter, Yash Thakur. He bowled a full ball from wide of the crease that beat Thakur on the flick, resulting in an lbw decision.
Apple Tom’s return in the next over yielded the wicket of Yash Rathod, who had been Vidarbha’s top scorer at that point. A length delivery from around the wicket straightened a bit from the pitch, took the edge, and was caught at first slip, leaving Vidarbha at 297 for 7.
With the Yashes dismissed, Akshays Wadkar and Karnewar kept the innings going with a 36-run partnership for the eighth wicket. Wadkar confidently drove Basil through cover off the back foot, while Karnewar collected a few streaky boundaries off Apple Tom and Basil.
As the partnership developed, Wadkar hit a six just past deep-backward point off Nidheesh, followed by some leg byes that resulted in runs. The stand eventually came to an end when Rohan Kunnummal took a sharp catch at cover to dismiss Karnewar. Just before the lunch break, Wadkar attempted a powerful cut, but a length delivery from Apple Tom seamed away, resulting in an edge that was caught behind.
Bhute struck two sixes off Saxena, with the first taking Vidarbha past the 350 mark. Dubey, his batting partner, rotated the strike efficiently and even swept Saxena for a four. The partnership exceeded the 35-over session which yielded 119 runs and five wickets, but concluded just 13 balls later when Bhute was caught behind off Nidheesh while attempting to run a good-length delivery to deep third.
More updates to follow
Ekanth is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo