Kochi: Kerala drew their last Ranji Trophy match against Hyderabad to finish fifth in Group ‘C’ just ahead of their opponents in the concluding game at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium here on Thursday.
Needing an outright win to force a three-way tie with Jammu & Kashmir and Goa for a chance to qualify for quarters, the visitors were done in by brilliant batting by Hyderabad in the second essay. Resuming the day at 329 for 5 after conceding a 62-run first innings lead, the hosts added 100 more runs to set Kerala an improbable target of 368 runs on the final day.
The visitors reached 146 for 2 before stumps were drawn. Opener Nikhilesh Surendran, who played junior cricket in Hyderabad before moving to Kerala, made a fine half-century. He struck 57 in 70 balls, seven of which crashed against the boundary while one soared over it.
Nikhilesh’s opening partner V. A. Jagadeesh too made a similar score, albeit being unbeaten. Jagadeesh’s patient 57 was brought up in 130 balls and contained four hits to the boundary.
Kerala U-16 concede lead
DC CORRESPONDENT
KOCHI: Half centuries from Samal and Sabat gave Odisha a hard-earned lead against Kerala on Day Two of the Under-16 Vijay Merchant trophy knockout round in Mumbai on Thursday.
Odisha struggled for runs and their opener S.S. Sabat was in action in a major part of the exhausting day that finished at 233 for 6.
Sabat scored seven boundaries and two sixes in his arduous knock of 61 off 149 deliveries as Odisha made slow progress at a run-rate of just over 2, to take a lead of 47 runs. A crucial period in the day was when 7th man Samal, who remained unbeaten on 57, teamed up with Sabat to raise a 124-run partnership.
Sijomon Joseph and Fanoos bowled lengthy spells of 33 and 25 overs respectively to dismiss five Odisha batsmen while Mohammed Safwan bagged one.
Brief scores: Kerala 186 in 76.3 overs (Unnimon 42, Rohan 34, Subham 5/57, Rathore 3/38) vs Odisha 233/6 in 114 overs (Sabat 61 retired, Samal 57 not out, Barun 32, Sijomon 3/49, Fanoos 2/75).
