It was Rituraj Singh’s day out at the Brabourne Stadium here on Monday as the seamer struck it rich with a career-best haul of seven for 42 which helped Goa restrict Kerala to 342 in its first innings.
However, by close of play on the second day of the four-day Ranji Trophy match, Kerala was back in the saddle by nailing six Goan wickets for 169, even as play was extended by half-an-hour due to the poor over-rate by its bowlers.
Resuming at a solid overnight score of 290 for two, Kerala was in for a surprise in the morning session as 26-year-old, Jaipur-born Rituraj bowled his heart out, in tandem, with Saurabi Bandekar.
Kerala had little difficulty in getting past the 300-mark but thereafter it was a virtual procession as Rituraj and Bandekar struck repeatedly. Lending them good support was wicket-keeper Samar Dubhashi who held five catches as Goa took eight wickets within the space of 91 minutes and 15.4 overs.
The Goan openers Sumran Amonkar and Swapnil Asnodkar began cautiously and were able to frustrate the Kerala bowling for a good 15.1 overs before medium-pacer C.V. Vinod Kumar separated them. Sandeep Warrier was a trifle unlucky on more than one occasion even as Vinod Kumar, who was capped by Kerala only in the last match against Haryana, emerged as the pick among the bowlers, with a haul of three for 33.
Goa was reduced from 46 for no loss to 109 for five before Bandekar and Shadab Jakati rescued their team with an unbeaten stand of 42 as the day drew to a close.
The scores:
Kerala — 1st innings: Vishnu Vinod c Kamat b Rituraj 5, Bhavin Thakkar b Jakati 117, Rohan Prem b Rituraj 130, Sanju Samson c Dubhashi b Rituraj 35, Sachin Baby c Dubhashi b Bandekar 0, Mohd. Azharuddeen c Dubashi b Rituraj 8, Iqbal Abdulla c Amit b Bandekar 20, Fabid Ahmed lbw b Rituraj 0; C.V. Vinod Kumar c Dubhashi b Rituraj 6; K. Monish c Dubhashi b Rituraj 0; Sandeep Warrier (not out) 0; Extras (nb-1, w-1, b-12, lb-7): 21; Total (in 105.4 overs) 342.
Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-246, 3-301, 4-302, 5-311, 6-336, 7-338, 8-342, 9-342.
Goa bowling: Rituraj 27-14-42-7, Bandekar 23.4-4-77-2, Alemao 9-4-11-0, Jakati 20-1-97-1, Amit Yadav 22-3-71-0, Misal 4-0-25-0.
Goa — 1st innings: Sumran Amonkar b Vinod Kumar 17, Swapnil Asnodkar c Baby b Warrier 33, Sagun Kamat c Monish b Vinod Kumar 27, Snehal Kautankar c Samson b Fabid Ahmed 15, Darshan Misal run out 13, Samar Dubhashi c Samson b Vinod Kumar 0, Saurabi Bandekar (batting) 22, Shadab Jakati (batting) 19; Extras (nb-12, b-9, lb-2): 23; Total (for six wkts. in 60 overs): 169.
Fall of wickets: 1-46, 2-59, 3-89, 4-109, 5-109, 6-127.
Kerala bowling: Warrier 16-2-51-1, Vinod Kumar 15-6-33-3, Monish 9-1-17-0, Thakkar 4-0-8-0, Fabid Ahmed 9-1-23-1, Abdulla 7-1-28-0.
