Kerala bags title on first innings lead

By Our Sports Reporter

BANGALORE, MAY 1. Tamil Nadu promised a coup but Kerala walked away with the cake. The KSCA Coca-Cola South Zone Under-25 tournament's climax bruised some nails at the Palace grounds here on Monday. A doughty lower order and Subash Raj's patient 84 stretched the chase for first innings honours before Kerala forced Tamil Nadu to pause at 308 in 122.1 overs.

Kerala seized the cup thanks to its 15-run lead while Tamil Nadu mulled over fate's enigmatic smile.

Earlier, Kerala's 323 was a distant post when Tamil Nadu resumed at the overnight 122 for three. The first innings target looked even more ominous when Lokesh (50) fended the day's fourth ball and helped seamer Ranjith Menon (three for 81) exchange high- fives with keeper Deepak.

Skipper Ganesh Kumar (17) did assist Subash in eking out a 54-run fifth-wicket partnership but when he and Dhandapani (17) failed to fulfill their early flourish, the innings stumbled onto a mid- life crisis.

A freak dismissal in the post-lunch session gave a sneak preview of fortune's swing towards a persevering Kerala. Dhandapani played too far back against leg-spinner Shyam and trod on his off-stump and Kerala were back in the hunt. M. R. Srinivas however had other ideas. The lanky seamer had engineered a rescue-act along with Satish in the previous match against Hyderabad and he was obviously keen to don the savior's mantle.

Srinivas drove with ease while Subash kept retreating into his shell. But their mixed approach yielded a 72-run seventh-wicket partnership and stabilised Tamil Nadu's hopes. Subash (84, 418m, 293b, 7 x 4) played straight but runs were a hard bargain as he eschewed shots and got obsessed with his sheet-anchor role. He did free his arms for a brief while and seamer Ranjith Menon suffered as a cover-drive singed the turf.

Kerala almost felt the trophy ease out of its grip when Varun Girilal dropped Srinivas at long-off. Left arm spinner, Sree Kumar Nair tossed one up and a confused Srinivas, then on 40, chipped the bill over the in-field. The ball lazily descended towards Varun who however clutched dismay.

However Srinivas and Subash's `yes-no' quagmire helped Varun get rid of his guilt. A mixed-call left Srinivas (42, 80b, 4 x 4) making a futile bid for the crease as Varun's throw from short covers helped keeper Deepak nudge the stumps.

The chase now hinged on Subash and he had flickers of encouragement from S. Vasudevan (11) and Velmurugan (9 n.o.). But as mandatory overs and dark clouds moved in unison, a disconsolate Subash returned to the pavilion after P. V. Rajesh rapped his pads. The last wicket had fallen and soon the rains caressed an exciting evening.

lThe scores: Kerala 323 drew with Tamil Nadu 308 in 122.1 overs (Subash Raj 84, N. Lokesh 50, M. R. Srinivas 42, Noorul Riaz 31, Ranjith Menon three for 81).

The Kerala team which won the KSCA Coca-Cola South Zone under-25 cricket tournament at Bangalore on Monday. Sitting (from Left): C. Sanju, S. Ramakrishnan, M. P. Sorab, C. M. Deepak, Sashi Kumar and C. M. Shyam. Standing: Ranjith Menon, Krishna Kumar Nambiar, P. Manoj, Ajay Kudua (captain), Mr. S. K. Nair (BCCI finance committee chairman), Mr. Raja Chandran (manager), Sree Kumar Nair, Varun Girilal, P. V. Rajesh and Samith.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Sport
Previous : Barlow's condition stable
Next     : West Indies calls up Sarwan