Seamers put Kerala on top against Haryana

LALHI: For once, the Lahli wicket showed up in a different hue. The strip famed for the extravagant assistance it offers to seamers was largely benign on day one of the Ranji Trophy Group B match between Haryana and Kerala on Saturday. The visitors, needing a win to qualify for the knockouts, went in with a four-pronged pace attack and ended the day on top thanks more to a disciplined bowling effort rather than the generosity of the pitch.Haryana were 207 for nine at stumps.
Sandeep Warrier claimed four wickets (4/50) for Kerala while Vinod Kumar got two (2/40). Kerala would take heart from the fact that they have gained the upperhand after Haryana had scored 94 for the loss of just one wicket in the first session. It was Vinod who got the crucial breakthroughs after lunch dismissing the opener Shubham Rohilla (36) and Chaithanya Bishnoi with fuller balls as both batsmen perished driving. Haryana lost wickets at regular intervals following that and the extra half an hour taken at the end of the day proved crucial for Kerala as they claimed three wickets for just one run, one of those the prized one of experienced batsman Rajat Paliwal (46).
Vinod, called 'Master' by his compatriots for his skills with the ball was brought in for this match and he showed the others the length to bowl on the wicket. "We could have bowled a little better in the first session. We went by the reputation of the Lahli wicket and tried to bowl quick but there was not much movement and they played easily. In the last two sessions, we went for a fuller length and there was just enough help for the seamers from certain areas," said Sandeep at the close of play.
As expected, Kerala went in with four seamers; Sandeep Warrier, Nidheesh MD and Vindo Kumar came into the side in place of Sijomon Joseph, Akshay KC and Fabid Ahmed. Haryana captain Amit Mishra won the toss and decided to bat considering the comparatively hotter conditions in the morning and a less-greener pitch by the Lahli standards. His decision seemed to have been vindicated as the openers Guntashveer Singh (30 and Rohilla put on 66 for the first wicket with no trouble at all. Kerala got the first breakthrough in the 23rd over as Jalaj Saxena trapped Guntashveer in front of the stumps. The post-lunch session began on a happy note for Kerala. After Vinod's double blow, the Haryana's scoring rate came down drastically as boundaries dried up. The fourth wicket had a slice of luck associated with. A loosener outside off-stump by Sandeep Warrier was hit straight to the backward point fielder Salman Nizar by Shivam Chauhan. Nidheesh also got into the act trapping Rohit Sharma leg-before. Haryana skipper Mishra got hit on his finger from a nasty Nidheesh lifter and he left the field for a while before returning at the fall of the sixth wicket.
As the lights were fading, Kerala captain Sachin Baby was egging his bowlers on for one last effort. Basil heard the call and removed Paliwal (46) to break a 48-run seventh wicket stand between him and Mishra. The fuller length once again worked for Sandeep who came back to remove Poonish Mehta and Ajit Chahal on the last over of the day. The day also marked a return as wicketkeeper for Sanju Samson who had five catches to his name.
Scoreboard: Haryana G Singh lbw b Saxena 40, S Rohilla c Samson b Kumar 36, C Bishnoi c Samson b Kumar 14, R Paliwal batting, S Chauhan c Nizar b Warrier 4, R Sharma lbw b Nidheesh 13, A Mishra batting 36, H Patel c Samson b Warrier 8, P Mehta c Samson b Warrier 1, A Chahal c Samson b Warrier 1; Extras (b 5, lb 1, nb 8) 13); Total: 9 wickets in 81 overs 207.
Fow: 1/66, 2/94, 3/97, 4/104, 5/138, 6/158, 7/206, 8/207, 9/207.
Bowling: Warrier 18-4-50-4, Nidheesh 18-4-40-1, V Kumar, 19-7-40-2, B Thampi 11-0-38-1, Saxena 15-2-33-1.