Kerala and Maharashtra’s contrasting journeys within the group stage that led them to an equivalent 20 factors from seven matches will likely be on collision course when the 2 sides meet within the pre-quarterfinal of the Vijay Hazare Trophy on the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium right here on Saturday.
While Kerala’s struggles with the bat got here to the fore throughout its 18-run defeat to Railways – that value Sanju Samson & Co. a berth within the quarterfinal, Maharashtra’s league marketing campaign was bookended by scores of 355 and 427 – the latter being the very best of the match to date.
Samson’s valiant 128 in an unsuccessful 256-run chase towards Railways epitomised Kerala’s predicament, as no batter, barring the skipper, has tallied 200 runs within the competitors. Shreyas Gopal’s 53 in the identical match was symptomatic of Kerala’s reliance on the decrease middle-order, which additionally includes Abdul Basith and Akhil Scaria.
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That Sachin Baby and Vishnu Vinod have accrued lower than 200 runs regardless of scoring a century every early within the match encapsulates Kerala’s middle-order blues, whereas Rohan Kunnummal and Mohammed Azharuddeen’s detached kind on the prime has compounded its woes.
The bowlers have shouldered the majority of the duty and ensured the batters should not left chasing in extra of 200 even as soon as within the match, whereas additionally efficiently defending scores of 286 and 231.
Pacers Scaria and Akhin Sathar have been the toast of Kerala’s bowling with 13 and 10 wickets, respectively, whereas veteran fast Basil Thampi has chipped in with eight scalps. But on a historically batter-friendly floor at Rajkot, they are going to face their sternest take a look at to this point.
That they’re up towards Maharashtra may make their job solely more durable. The aspect, led by Kedar Jadhav, has easily tided over the absence of India internationals Ruturaj Gaikwad, on nationwide responsibility, and Rahul Tripathi, who has moved to Goa.
Opener Om Bhonsale has struck three fifties and a ton for 389 runs in seven matches in his debut senior-level marketing campaign, whereas the extra seasoned campaigners Ankit Bawne, Maharashtra’s top-scorer with 491 runs, and Azim Kazi have been the spin within the middle-order.
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Jadhav and Nikhil Naik’s lower-order contributions have additionally been essential. Maharashtra has blended power-hitting with beautiful consistency, a steadiness sides usually struggled to grapple with in 50-over cricket, as six of its prime seven batters boast a strike price of greater than 100 whereas averaging greater than 50.
The bowlers, led by pacer Pradeep Dadhe and left-arm spinner Kazi, have additionally distributed their duties equally and comprise a well-rounded assault with enviable selection.
Maharashtra, on a four-match successful streak and runner-up in 2022, nevertheless, will likely be conscious that it has not confronted probably the most formidable of opponents within the group stage and could have causes to be cautious towards Kerala, which toppled defending champion Saurashtra in its marketing campaign opener.
The winner of this contest will tackle Haryana within the quarterfinal on Monday, whereas Bengal and Gujarat will battle it out within the different pre-quarterfinal on Saturday for an opportunity to play Rajasthan within the last-eight stage.
Source web site: sportstar.thehindu.com
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