Kerala fold for 265, Goa reach 200-5 in reply

Goa debutant opener Ishaan Gadekar scored an unbeaten 76.

Photo Credits: The Goan

PANAJI
Debutant left-handed opener Ishaan Gadekar overcame a bout of cramps to lead the Goa charge with an unbeaten 76 as they eye a vital first-innings lead against hosts Kerala.

After bowling out Kerala for 265, Goa went to stumps at 200-5 in 79 overs in the fourth round of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group C encounter at St Xavier's KCA Cricket Ground in Trivandrum on Wednesday.

Ishaan, thrusted in the opener's slot replacing Sumiran Amonkar in the XI, had a strokeful 154-ball unconquered inning in which he hit five fours and one six in his first outing in First Class cricket. A well-set Ishaan had to earlier retire hurt due to a bout of cramps on 52 (95b, 4x4, 1x6) and with Goa at 95-3 in 35 overs at drinks. The 25-year-old opener returned to the crease at a subsequent loss of two wickets to see out day's play with his captain Darshan Misal unbeaten on a patient 37 (116b, 2x4) with their unbroken sixth-wicket stand yielding 40 runs in 111 deliveries.

Earlier in the morning, resuming on 247-5, Kerala capitulated losing their remaining wickets for the addition of merely 18 runs. Goa pace spearhead Lakshay Garg was on the money from the outset. Garg had centurion Rohan Prem (112) trapped in front of the first ball of the morning. The seasoned Goa right-arm medium pacer finished with good returns of 4-44 and was completed by the young left-arm medium-fast bowler, Arjun Tendulkar (2-49).

The new opening pair of experienced Amogh Desai and debutant Gadekar began the Goa reply confidently scoring at a reasonable clip. The visitors lost their first wicket at the stroke of lunch when Amogh on 29 edged one to Akshay Chandran in the slips off Kerala stand-in captain, Sijomon Joseph. Goa were placed at 62-1 with Ishaan on a solid 31.

Upon resumption, Shijomon got the prized scalp of in-form Suyash Prabhudesai for 3 top-edging a sweep to be caught by Vaisakh Chandran as Goa slipped to 66-2 in the 23rd over. Snehal Kauthankar did not last long either as he went for 7 with offspinner Vaisakh Chandran joining in the spoils. Goa were reduced to 87-3 and the need of the hour was a repair job. With Siddhesh Lad fresh at the wicket, the new Goa opener, Ishaan struck a boundary off the last ball of a Shijumon over to bring up his maiden First Class half-century in 95 deliveries and with the help of four boundaries and a six. Drinks were called at 95-3 with Ishaan on 52 and Lad on 2, but with the former retiring hurt after a brief unseparated stand of 8 runs with Lad.

The in-form Goa captain Misal walked in to join Lad and the experienced middle-order batters took Goa to tea at 132-3 in 51 overs with Lad on 24 (65b, 1x4) and Misal on 11 (42b, 1x4). The duo forged a 54-run association before Lad on 35 (83b, 2x4) became slow left-arm orthodox Shijumon's third wicket and Goa were reduced to 149-4. With 11 runs added to the total, keeper-batter, Eknath Kerkar (6) departed with the season's top wicket-taker, Jalaj Saxena into the act with his off breaks. In a spot of bother, Gadekar returned to the crease revitalised and with a calm and composed captain Misal (37*) saw Goa to stumps at 200-5, adrift the home side by 65 runs. 

SCORES: KERALA 1st inns 265 in 95.3 overs (Rohan Prem 112, Sachin Baby 46, Lakshay Garg 4-44) vs GOA 1st inns 200-5 in 79 overs (Ishaan Gadekar 76*, Darshan Misal 37*, Sijomon Joseph 3-35)