Going for glory: Sachin Baby effortlessly switched gears to tear the bowling aside.
| Photo Credit: File Photo: VIJAY SONEJI
Kerala desperately tried to flog a useless match to life and did all it may by scoring rapidly within the first session and even set a goal for Chhattisgarh to chase. However, the host refused to take up the problem and its batters confronted little drawback in blunting the Kerala assault on the gradual wicket. The match between two sides drifted to a draw on the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket stadium right here on Monday.
After being set a goal of 290 in 53 overs, Chhattisgarh made a gradual progress to 71 for one off 22 overs when the captains agreed for a draw after the tea break. Kerala took three factors for the primary innings lead whereas Chhattisgarh received one from the draw.
Kerala’s quest for fast runs within the morning was given an impetus by Vishnu Vinod, who clubbed two boundaries and a six within the first two overs bowled by medium pacers Ravi Kiran and Ashish Chouhan. Vishnu’s (24) blitz didn’t final lengthy as he threw away his wicket to wild slog towards left arm spinner Ajay Mandal. The new batter Sanju Samson didn’t enable the tempo to dip as he attacked the bowlers to attain runs rapidly. Sanju (24) perished attempting for a large shot towards Ajay and was caught on the lengthy on fence by Shashank Chandrakar.
Mohammed Azharuddeen joined Sachin Baby and the 2 put the Chhattisgarh assault to sword. The batters ran the singles arduous and manipulated the sector by improvising their photographs.
Ajay Mandal bore the brunt because the fifth wicket stand rapidly raised 100 runs. Sachin Baby (94), after taking part in himself in, effortlessly switched gears to tear the bowling aside. Rasping cuts and flowing drives marked Baby’s innings and he regarded set for one other century however was run out by a direct throw by Rishab Tiwari. Kerala declared the innings after Azharuddeen accomplished his fifty to set a goal of 290 for the host.
Thampi gave Kerala an early carry when he cleaned up Shashank Chandrakar (14) within the fifth over. But Rishab Tiwari (39 not out) and Ashutosh Singh (25 not out) overcame their tentative begins to play watchful knocks that compelled Kerala captain Sanju to agree for a draw after the tea break.
The scores:
Kerala — 1st innings: 350.
Chattisgarh — 1st innings: 312.
Kerala — 2nd innings: Rohan Kunnummal c Rishab b Ashish 36, Rohan Prem c (sub) Tiwary b Ravi 17, Sachin Baby run out 94, Vishnu Vinod b Ajay 24, Sanju Samson c Shashank b Ajay 24, Mohammed Azharuddeen not out 50, Krishna Prasad not out 0; Extras (b-2, lb-4): 6; Total (for 5 wks decl in 52.2 overs): 251.
Fall of wickets: 1-51, 2-62, 3-99, 4-149, 5-251
Chhattisgarh bowling: Ravi 8-2-45-1, Ashish 14-1-65-1, Ajay 21.2-0-93-2, Ashutosh 3-0-18-0, Rishabh 5-0-21-0, Shashank 4-0-19-0.
Chhatttisgarh — 2nd innings: Shashank Chandrakar b Thampi 14, Rishab Tiwari not out 39, Ashutosh Singh not out 25; Extras (lb-1): 1; Total (for one wkt in 22 overs) 79.
Fall of wicket: 1-18.
Kerala bowling: Thampi 5-0-18-1, Akhin 2-0-10-0, Jalaj 5-1-12-0, Nidheesh 3-0-14-0, Shreyas 5-0-23-0, Vishnu 2-1-1-0.
