Collapses have been the bane of Kerala’s Ranji Trophy campaign for the past couple of seasons. And their tendency to implode continued to haunt them on Day 2 of their encounter against Mumbai at the St Xavier’s College ground in Thumba on Saturday.
From a healthy 221 for four, Kerala’s innings crumbled spectacularly as they were bowled out for 244, giving the visitors a slender seven-run lead in the first innings.
Mumbai further strengthened their grip on the match with an unbroken century opening stand which saw them close the day at 105 without loss, an overall lead of 112.
The chief protagonist of Kerala’s downfall was Mumbai seamer Mohit Avasthi, who bettered his career-best performance against Bihar (6/27) in the Ranji season opener two weeks ago, with figures of 7/57. After snaring two scalps in his opening burst, Avasthi came back later to claim five of the last six Kerala wickets to fall in the space of 17 deliveries of his spell.
The day, however, began on a promising note for the hosts as their openers, Rohan Kunnummal and Krishna Prasad, provided them a brisk start. Kerala had raced to 47 without loss in seven overs but in his fourth over, Avasthi inflicted a double blow on the hosts. First, he had opener Krishna Prasad caught behind for a 15-ball 21 and four balls later removed Rohan Prem for a blob in a similar fashion.
Rohan along with Kerala’s most dependable batter Sachin Baby started the repair job in earnest by stitching together a half-century stand to push the Kerala score past the 100-run mark. However, soon after reaching his fifty, Rohan (56, 77 balls, 8×4) was bowled by Dube.
That brought Kerala skipper Sanju Samson to the wicket and he started aggressively. But after hitting a quick 38 off just 36 balls with five 4s, Sanju fell to off-spinner Shams Mulani with the Kerala score at 170.
In the company of wicketkeeper-batsman Vishnu Vinod, Baby forged another fifty-run partnership for the fifth wicket and Kerala looked on course to take the first-innings lead.
But that’s when Avasthi changed the complexion of the game with a five-wicket burst. With Sachin Baby getting trapped in front of the wicket, in between Avasthi’s probing spell, to off-spinning allrounder Tanush Kotian for 65 (130 balls, 8×4), Kerala’s innings caved in quickly.
It was then the turn of the Mumbai batters to further tighten the screws on Kerala. Opener Jay Bista made amends for his golden duck in the first innings with a brisk unbeaten 59 (67 balls, 3×4, 1×6). Bhupen Lalwani proved to be an ideal foil and remained not out on 41 at stumps to give the day’s honours to the 41-time champions.
Brief scores: Mumbai 251 &105/0 in 26 overs (Jay Bista 59*, Bhupen Lalwani 41*) vs Kerala 244 in 55.2 overs (Sachin Baby 65, Rohan Kunnummal 56, Sanju Samson 38; Mohit Avasthi 7/57)
From a healthy 221 for four, Kerala’s innings crumbled spectacularly as they were bowled out for 244, giving the visitors a slender seven-run lead in the first innings.
Mumbai further strengthened their grip on the match with an unbroken century opening stand which saw them close the day at 105 without loss, an overall lead of 112.
The chief protagonist of Kerala’s downfall was Mumbai seamer Mohit Avasthi, who bettered his career-best performance against Bihar (6/27) in the Ranji season opener two weeks ago, with figures of 7/57. After snaring two scalps in his opening burst, Avasthi came back later to claim five of the last six Kerala wickets to fall in the space of 17 deliveries of his spell.
The day, however, began on a promising note for the hosts as their openers, Rohan Kunnummal and Krishna Prasad, provided them a brisk start. Kerala had raced to 47 without loss in seven overs but in his fourth over, Avasthi inflicted a double blow on the hosts. First, he had opener Krishna Prasad caught behind for a 15-ball 21 and four balls later removed Rohan Prem for a blob in a similar fashion.
Rohan along with Kerala’s most dependable batter Sachin Baby started the repair job in earnest by stitching together a half-century stand to push the Kerala score past the 100-run mark. However, soon after reaching his fifty, Rohan (56, 77 balls, 8×4) was bowled by Dube.
That brought Kerala skipper Sanju Samson to the wicket and he started aggressively. But after hitting a quick 38 off just 36 balls with five 4s, Sanju fell to off-spinner Shams Mulani with the Kerala score at 170.
In the company of wicketkeeper-batsman Vishnu Vinod, Baby forged another fifty-run partnership for the fifth wicket and Kerala looked on course to take the first-innings lead.
But that’s when Avasthi changed the complexion of the game with a five-wicket burst. With Sachin Baby getting trapped in front of the wicket, in between Avasthi’s probing spell, to off-spinning allrounder Tanush Kotian for 65 (130 balls, 8×4), Kerala’s innings caved in quickly.
It was then the turn of the Mumbai batters to further tighten the screws on Kerala. Opener Jay Bista made amends for his golden duck in the first innings with a brisk unbeaten 59 (67 balls, 3×4, 1×6). Bhupen Lalwani proved to be an ideal foil and remained not out on 41 at stumps to give the day’s honours to the 41-time champions.
Brief scores: Mumbai 251 &105/0 in 26 overs (Jay Bista 59*, Bhupen Lalwani 41*) vs Kerala 244 in 55.2 overs (Sachin Baby 65, Rohan Kunnummal 56, Sanju Samson 38; Mohit Avasthi 7/57)
