Ranji Trophy | Azharuddeen’s  hundred puts Kerala in control

Kerala’s Mohammed Azharuddeen in action.
| Photo Credit: R.V. MOORTHY

When Sachin Baby edged one to the cordon off the second ball of the day, it felt like all of Kerala’s patient build-up might fizzle out. But, Mohammed Azharuddeen’s first First Class century in seven years ensured Kerala took control of the Ranji Trophy semifinal against Gujarat here on Tuesday.

Azharuddeen (149 batting, 303b, 17×4) forged a mammoth 149-run stand with Salman Nizar for the sixth wicket to ensure his team grafted its way to 418 for seven at the end of the second day.

Arzan Nagwaswalla received some help in the air with the five-over old second new ball, but apart from Baby’s wicket, the pacer could not provide any further incursions. Fellow left-armer Jaymeet Patel induced an edge out of Azharuddeen, on 47, but the chance burst through the fingers of Manan Hingrajia at first slip.

Nizar too rode his luck when a fine edge off Ravi Bishnoi was put down by Urvil Patel behind the stumps. Gujarat will also rue the DRS opportunities it missed as both batters were given a lifeline following the team’s decision not to review the on-field lbw decision.

Azharuddeen brought up his hundred off 175 balls, getting a standing ovation from the dugout for his valiant effort. Kerala’s two highest run-getters this season piled on the misery in the second session as Gujarat ran out of ideas to find a breakthrough.

Nizar brought up his fifty off 185 balls with the innings’ first six, but fell to left-arm spinner Vishal Jayswal four balls into the final session of play. Debutant Ahammed Imran looked enterprising during his 24-run knock, before being strangled down leg by Nagwaswalla with the third new ball.

With the ball beginning to turn consistently for the spinners and a rough patch developing outside the left-hand batter’s offstump, Kerala’s tweakers will be excited to have a crack at the opponent on day three.

The scores:

Kerala — 1st innings: Akshay Chandran run out 30, Rohan Kunnummal lbw b Bishnoi 30, Varun Nayanar c Urvil b Priyajitsinh 10, Sachin Baby c Aarya Desai b Nagwaswalla 69, Jalaj Saxena b Nagwaswalla 30, Mohammed Azharuddeen (batting) 149, Salman Nizar lbw b Jayswal 52, Ahammed Imran c Urvil b Nagwaswalla 24, Aditya Sarwate (batting) 10; Extras (lb-10, w-1, nb-3): 14; Total (for seven wkts. in 177 overs): 418.

Fall of wickets: 1-60, 2-63, 3-86, 4-157, 5-206, 6-355, 7-395.

Gujarat bowling: Gaja 28-8-57-0, Nagwaswalla 29-8-64-3, Priyajitsinh 21-2-58-1, Jaymeet 13-1-46-0, Bishnoi 30-7-74-1, Siddharth Desai 33-13-49-0, Jayswal 22-5-57-1, Aarya Desai 1-0-3-0.