Ranji Trophy: Mohammed Azharuddeen's Century Puts Kerala in Command Against Gujarat
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Synopsis
In a pivotal Ranji Trophy semifinal, Mohammed Azharuddeen's century, his first in seven years, alongside solid contributions from Sachin Baby and Salman Nizar, placed Kerala in a commanding position against Gujarat. Azharuddeen's unbeaten 149 helped Kerala reach 418 for seven by the end of day two.
Key Takeaways
- Mohammed Azharuddeen scored 149 not out, his first century in seven years.
- Sachin Baby and Salman Nizar also contributed valuable runs.
- Kerala ended day two at 418 for seven.
- Gujarat's bowlers struggled to break Kerala's partnerships.
- Spinners will have an advantage on a wearing pitch in the next session.
Ahmedabad, Feb 18 (NationPress) Mohammed Azharuddeen achieved a long-anticipated century, marking his second in First-Class cricket and his first in seven years. Alongside half-centuries from Sachin Baby and Salman Nizar, this performance propelled Kerala into a dominant position against Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy semifinal on Tuesday. Azharuddeen's unbeaten 149 from 303 balls, featuring 17 boundaries, served as the foundation for Kerala's innings, concluding day two at 418 for seven.
Kerala resumed their innings on Tuesday with a rocky start as Sachin Baby was dismissed on the second ball. Nevertheless, Azharuddeen, in partnership with Salman Nizar, built a significant 149-run stand for the sixth wicket, stabilizing the innings following Baby's early exit. While the first day was marked by defense, the second day saw a shift in tempo, with Salman anchoring from one end while Azharuddeen took charge of the scoring.
Bowler Arzan Nagwaswalla, with a relatively new ball, found movement in the air and struck early, removing Baby. However, his efforts were insufficient to break Kerala's resistance. Jaymeet Patel nearly had Azharuddeen on 47, inducing an edge that was dropped by Manan Hingrajia at first slip.
Salman faced a near miss as a fine edge off Ravi Bishnoi was dropped by Urvil Patel behind the stumps. Gujarat's failure to challenge lbw decisions further added to their frustration, allowing both batters to seize their chances.
Azharuddeen's century arrived off 175 balls, receiving a standing ovation from the Kerala bench. The two leading run-scorers for Kerala ensured that Gujarat's bowlers remained under continuous pressure during the second session. Salman reached his half-century off 185 balls, hitting the innings' first six over mid-on before celebrating with his teammates.
Kerala scored 87 runs in the first session but managed only 61 in 30 overs after lunch.
Jayswal eventually ended the marathon partnership by dismissing Salman early in the final session. The left-hander's resilient 202-ball effort concluded with Kerala still firmly in charge. Debutant Ahammed Imran showed potential with a brief 24-run innings before being dismissed by Nagwaswalla, caught down the leg side with the third new ball.
As the pitch displayed increasing wear and the ball consistently turned for spinners, Kerala's seasoned campaigners—Jalaj Saxena and Aditya Sarwate—will be eager to exploit rough patches outside the off stump when Gujarat starts their reply on Day Three.
Brief scores:
Kerala 418/7 in 177 overs (Sachin Baby 69, Salman Nizar 52, Mohammed Azharuddeen 149 not out, Aditya Sarwate 10 not out; Arzan Nagwaswalla 3-64, Vishal Jayswal 1-57) against Gujarat
