HAVING removed top three Kerala batters and still leading by 248 runs, two-time champions Vidarbha seemed to be on front foot in their Ranji Trophy final under way at VCA’s Jamtha Stadium, on Thursday. In pursuit of Vidarbha’s 379 that came off 123.1 overs, the visitors were 131 for three wickets in 39 overs when were stumps were drawn for the day. Former Vidarbha player Aditya Sarvate (66*; 120b, 10x4), now a professional with Kerala, and skipper Sachin Baby (7; 23b, 1x4), playing his 100th First-Class match, were the not out batters. The duo survived some hostile seam bowling by Yash Thakur who used short balls to good effect. Darshan Nalkande started the proceeding for Vidarbha from the far end and castled both the openers in his first two overs. Nalkande bowled Kunnummal with a brilliant yorker to give Vidarbha an early breakthrough. He cleaned up Rohan Kunnummal for a three-ball duck on a perfect yorker.

 

 

The right arm seamer struck again in his second over bowling Akshay Chandran (14; 11b, 3x4) with the batter playing on. In the previous over, Chandran had struck three boundaries off Thakur who strayed on the leg side. Sarvate, who has two FC hundreds to his credit, was promoted to number three. He opened his account with a nicely time off drive that raced to extra cover fence off Thakur. The next ball was almost a replay with same result. By then, Thakur gave away 22 runs from first nine balls. The skipper persisted with him giving another over. After five good balls, Thakur was again square driven by Sarvate for a four. Nachiket Bhute replaced him while Dubey came in for Nalkande as skipper Akshay Wadkar went for a double change. Sarvate and left-handed Ahammed Imran (37; 83b, 3x4) took the score to 44-2.

 

In the 43rd over, Bhute’s angled delivery kissed Imran’s bat but Atharva Taide, fielding in place of Dhruv Shorey, could not hold on to that chance at second slip. The batsman was on nine them. Both Sarvate and Imran started to rebuild the innings and took Kerala to 57-2 in 14 overs at tea. In the third session of play, both players opened up and were scoring freely. Sarvate scored his 13th First-Class fifty that came with a single off Thakur. It required 90 balls in 132 minutes and was studded with eight hits to the fence. Thakur bowled an eventful 32nd over when the team had crossed 100. The first short ball was pulled away for four by Imran. There was a mix up on the next ball and Sarvate survived a run-out chance.

 

A ball later, Thakur again dug short, the batsman this time could not connect properly and substitute Aman Mokhade accepted the offer gleefully at short mid-wicket. New batter Sachin Baby was wrapped on pads the first ball. With not out call by umpire, Vidarbha went straightway for DRS. But it turned out to be a no-ball. Thakur bowled one more no-ball in that over. But getting a wicket was important at that stage and Thakur provided it. Sarvate and Imran added 93 runs. The bowler continued to test Sarvate and Sachin by short stuff till the end of the day. Earlier, Vidarbha started at their overnight score of 254-4 with Danish Malewar and night-watchman Thakur taking fresh guard. Thakur signalled his intentions with a four off seamer MD Nidheesh and followed it up with flick off Eden in the next over. Malewar’s first scoring shot was his favourite glance to thirdman boundary that fetched him his 700th run of the season. After having added 51 with Thakur for fifth wicket in 83 balls and 65 minutes, Malewar, for once, played a wrong line to be bowled out. Seamer Nedumankuzhy Basil made the ball deviate just enough to find space between bat and pad to click top of the off stick.

 

It was good to see many Kerala players patting Malewar on his way to the pavilion. Only time will tell whether the youngster had already played a trophy-winning knock. Thakur also did not last long. Basil had him lbw five runs later. A pumped up Basil induced an edge from Yash Rathod’s willow but the ball landed well in front of a diving second slip fielder. From the other end, another seamer Eden Apple Tom dealt Vidarbha the biggest blow by removing season’s top-scorer Yash Rathod. He forced the batter to edge one and Kunnummal, at a widish lone slip, completed a good catch. Credit must be given to Kerala bowlers who sensed an opening and bent their back putting in that extra effort. Within five overs and addition of just seven runs, Vidarbha lost three batsmen. New man Akshay Karnewar survived first ball when the top edge fell in no man’s land. Nidheesh replaced Basil from the far (North) end. On fourth ball of the 110th over, Wadkar cut hard and the ball flew between hands of a jumping Basil at thirdman fence for a six. Veteran offie Jalaj Saxena struck soon. Southpaw Karnewar’s uppish drive was superbly plucked by Kunnummal at short extra cover.

 

Harsh Dubey survived a first-ball DRS review as the Saxena delivery seemed to miss the leg stump. Triple nelson (333) claimed a Vidarbha wicket. On what would have been last over before lunch, Wadkar flashed at a rising Eden delivery just to snick it to stumper Mohammed Azharuddeen who completed the formality. With nine wickets down, first session of two and half hours was extended by a further thirty minutes. But Dubey and Bhute batted well with the latter striking big. Bhute lofted Saxena for a six over long off as the hosts crossed 350-mark. Bhute used long handle again this time hoicking the veteran offie clearing the on long on fence by a margin. Eleven minutes into the second session, and on first ball of the third over after lunch, Bhute edged Nidheesh. The last wicket pair added 44 important runs that may well prove to be the difference in the end.