PANAJI
Goa's Ranji Trophy Elite campaign ended on a disappointing note as Kerala registered a commanding nine-wicket victory at the Goa Cricket Association Academy ground in Porvorim on Sunday. After taking a decisive 171-run first-innings lead, Kerala wrapped up the match in emphatic fashion, underlining their dominance across departments.
Goa were first bowled out for 355 in their opening innings, a total that was comfortably eclipsed by Kerala, who piled up 526 for nine declared to seize a massive advantage. Resuming their second innings from an overnight score of 18 without loss, Goa once again faltered with the bat and were bundled out for 199 in 53.3 overs.
Darshan Misal offered the lone resistance with a fighting 55, while Amulya Pandrekar (32) and Arjun Tendulkar (24) chipped in with useful contributions. However, Kerala's bowling attack proved too strong, with Nidheesh MD leading the way with five wickets. Ankit Sharma and Basil NP provided effective support, picking up crucial breakthroughs at regular intervals.
Chasing a modest target of 29, Kerala wasted little time in sealing the contest. They reached the target in just 5.5 overs, losing only one wicket. Abhishek Nair remained unbeaten on 19, while Salman Nizar stayed not out on 9, as Kerala completed a comprehensive win.
With this defeat, Goa finished sixth in the Elite B group among eight teams. Despite a promising start to the season, Goa suffered losses in each of its last four matches. Their final tally stood at 1 win, 4 defeats, and 2 draws from 7 matches, earning them 11 points.
BRIEF SCORES
Goa 1st Innings: 355 all out Kerala 1st Innings: 526/9 declared
Goa “ 2nd Innings: 199 all out in 53.3 overs (Suyash Prabhudessai 14, Kashyap Bakhle 15, Abhinav Tejrana 17, Snehal Kauthankar 0, Lalit Yadav 27, Amulya Pandrekar 32, Yash Kasvankar 6, Darshan Misal 55, Samar Dubhashi 6, Arjun Tendulkar 24, Koushik V* 0, Extras 3, Ankit Sharma 3/56, Nidheesh MD 5/47, Basil NP 1/37, Ahammed Imran 1/21, Sreehari Nair 0/34, Sachin Baby 0/0, Vishnu Vinod 0/4)
Kerala 2nd Innings: 29/1 in 5.5 overs (Abhishek Nair* 19, Sachin Baby 1, Salman Nizar* 9, Extras 0, Koushik 1/3, Amulya Pandrekar 0/26)
