Karaparambil Monish

Kerala inched closer to a narrow first-innings lead as they restricted Chhattisgarh to 179 for nine in their Group C Ranji Trophy match on Friday.

Saurashtra seamers Jaydev Unadkat, Shaurya Sanandia and Chirag Jani shared seven wickets among them to bundle out Haryana for 140 in their second innings and help the team post an innings and 31-run win on the third day of their Group B Ranji Trophy match.

With 24 wickets in two Ranji matches Jadeja stands six clear of the next most successful bowler in the competition.

Off-spinner Jalaj Saxena showed his Delhi counterparts how to bowl on an unresponsive track with a six-wicket haul, raising visions of an innings victory for Kerala in their first round Ranji Trophy Group A encounter here on Wednesday.

Skipper Sachin Baby grinded a listless Delhi attack to hit 155 as Kerala gained complete control, first by posting a mammoth 525 for 9 and then removing the two opposition openers on Day 2 of their Ranji Trophy group A campaign.