AGENCIES
MUMBAI
Kerala were sitting pretty at the end of the penultimate day's play in their Ranji Trophy Group C match against Goa at Brabourne stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday.
Having scored 342 in the first innings, Kerala restricted Goa to 286 in their first innings thereby taking a 56 run lead to ensure three points. In the second innings, Kerala scored 154 for 4 with skipper Rohan Prem batting 60 following up on his 130 in the first innings.
However, Kerala were made to work hard to earn their first innings lead as they faced a stiff resistance from the Goan lower order with Saurabh Bandekar and Shadab Jakati frustrating the opposition with a defiant stand of 97 runs after they resumed their innings on 169/6. Iqbal Abdullah ended the stand by sending back Bandekar (35) but Jakati held the innings together to finish with a fine innings of 85. The brilliant knock comes on the back of the impressive 92 the southpaw scored in a match-winning effort against Chhattisgarh in their last match in Cuttack. Medium-pacers Sandeep Warrier (3/66) and Vinod Kumar (4/68) were the pick of the bowlers for Kerala.
In reply, Kerala slumped to 54/4 as medium-pacer Bandekar picked up three wickets in quick time. However, the in-form Prem combined with Mohammed Azharuddeen (56 batting) to take his side out of the woods with an unbeaten stand of 100 for the fifth wicket for an overall lead of 210.
Brief scores
Kerala 342 and 154/4 in 56 overs (Rohan Prem 60 batting, Mohammed Azharuddeen 56 batting; Saurabh Bandekar 3/42) lead Goa 286 all out in 99.1 overs (Shadab Jakati 85; Vinod Kumar 4/68, Sandeep Warrier 3/66) by 210 runs
