Ranji Trophy 2023-24: Akshay Chandran and Sachin Baby assist Kerala take enormous lead by finish of day three

Vizianagaram

Kerala’s batting flowered fairly late within the season however it’ll hardly make a distinction to the state of the competition because the customer’s passive strategy and straightforward contentment will consign the match to a tame draw on Monday.

Kerala, using on centuries from Akshay Chandran (184) and Sachin Baby (113) declared its first innings at 514 for seven towards Andhra – with a lead of 242 – and by shut on the penultimate day it had diminished the host to 19 for one on the Dr. P.V.G. Raju ACA Sports Complex stadium right here on Sunday.

But on a flat monitor it’ll require a rank poor batting efficiency from the host to lose the match on the ultimate day. The marked reluctance by the customer to quicken the scoring was stunning and it overshadowed the centuries from Akshay and Baby.

It solely took half-an-hour within the morning for Kerala (in a single day 258 for 3) to go previous Andhra’s first innings rating of 272 however in a single day batters Sachin Baby (113) and Akshay Chandran (184) eschewed dangers and prolonged their fourth wicket stand to 184 runs. Baby was defeated by the bounce which Manish Golamaru extracted and was compelled to edge a catch to substitute Nithish Kumar Reddy within the first slip.

Akshay bought a life on 63 when Ashwin Hebbar on the third slip couldn’t latch on to catch when the batters slashed at a supply from Girinath Reddy. Akshay made Andhra pay dearly for the lapse as he together with Salman Nizar milked the bowling so as to add 126 runs for the fifth wicket.

Manish disturbed Salman’s (58) stumps when the batter missed the minimize. Mohammed Azharuddeen took on the spinners and performed the large pictures to extend the tempo of scoring. He clattered boundaries off each Shoaib Mohammed Khan and Manish to rapidly attain 40 and perished whereas attempting for an additional large shot. Baby declared the innings when Akshay was bowled by Shoaib, attempting to go for a uncommon large hit.

N.P. Basil trapped debutant Revanth Reddy in entrance to offer Kerala a superb begin. But Maheep Kumar and Ashwin Hebbar survived the hostile spell from Thampi and Basil.