Grit: Aparajith showcased his stoic defence in the final hour of play.
| Photo Credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN
Kerala’s mission knockout is still on thanks to a stodgy batting display by its lower-order which salvaged a draw against Madhya Pradesh in the Elite Group-C Ranji Trophy match at the Sports Hub here on Sunday.
The injured Baba Aparajith (26 not out) and tail-ender M.D. Nidheesh (4 not out) batted out 82 deliveries for an unbroken 20-run partnership for the ninth wicket which put paid to Madhya Pradesh’s hopes for a win.
With as many as 10 men crowding the bat, Aparajith and Nidheesh survived a nervy final hour to see their side home. Kerala took three points for the first-innings lead and retained its second position in the table.
It was not the swing but the variable bounce which brought the downfall of the Kerala batters in the morning session. The host lost three quick wickets in the first hour and both Shoun Roger and Sachin Baby were victims to the vagaries of the pitch.
Shoun gloved the ball while taking evasive action to a delivery that didn’t bounce as much and Baby was beaten by a delivery that reared up and took the outside edge. The in-form batter Salman Nizar was beaten by an incoming darter from Kumar Kartikeya Singh, who bowled both left-arm spin and leg spin, as Kerala slumped to 47 for five.
The fightback began when Jalaj Saxena joined Mohammed Azharuddeen. While Azharuddeen abandoned his aggressive game and played stoically, Jalaj attended the scoring to add 74 runs for the sixth wicket. Saransh Jain’s faster delivery induced a false stroke from Jalaj (32) who top-edged a sweep to wicketkeeper Himanshu Mantri.
Kerala’s Mohammed Azharuddeen and Aditya Sarwate in action during the Ranji Trophy match between Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.
| Photo Credit:
NIRMAL HARINDRAN
The rearguard action continued through Aditya Sarwate, who didn’t waste any opportunity to punish the loose balls. He slammed Kartikeya for successive sixes to complete his fifty. Sarwate outscored Azharuddeen in the 90-run seventh-wicket stand.
However, Kuldeep Sen armed with the new ball cleaned up Azharuddeen (68). Kartikeya’s googly forced an edge from Sarwate (80) as Madhya Pradesh sensed victory in the final hour. But the visitor couldn’t breach the defensive blades of Aparajith and Nidheesh as Kerala held on for a draw.
The scores: Madhya Pradesh – 1st innings: 160.
Kerala – 1st innings: 167.
Madhya Pradesh – 2nd innings: 369/8 decl.
Kerala – 2nd innings: Akshay Chandran b Kartikeya 24, Rohan S. Kunnummal lbw b Pandey 8, Shoun Roger c Mantri b Kuldeep 3, Sachin Baby c Mantri b Kuldeep 3, Salman Nizar b Kartikeya 5, Mohammed Azharuddeen b Kuldeep 68, Jalaj Saxena c Mantri b Jain 32, Aditya Sarwate c Patidar b Kartikeya 80, B. Aparajith (not out) 26, M.D. Nidheesh (not out) 4; Extras (w-5, b-11, lb-1): 17; Total (for eight wkts. in 104 overs): 268.
Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-33, 3-33, 4-37, 5-47, 6-121, 7-211, 8-248.
Madhya Pradesh bowling: Avesh 6-0-16-0, Pandey 15-6-22-1, Kartikeya 37-10-106-3, Saransh 28-10-47-1, Shubham 1-0-1-0.
PoM: Sarwate.
Published – January 26, 2025 08:15 pm IST
