Ranji Trophy: Old foe Rajneesh Gurbani torments Kerala again; Maharashtra lead by 204 | Cricket News
Thiruvananthapuram: A rain-curtailed second day in Thiruvananthapuram delivered gripping passages of play, as Maharashtra clawed their way to 239, before medium-pacer Rajneesh Gurbani jolted Kerala with a vintage new-ball burst.The home team staggered to 35/3 after tea, already wobbling under a 204-run deficit when rain halted what was shaping up to be a fascinating contest.Play began at 12.10 pm after early morning showers, with Maharashtra resuming at 179/7. The obdurate lower order added 60 hard-fought runs, frustrating Kerala’s attack in bowler-friendly conditions. But MD Nidheesh kept probing and was eventually rewarded, finishing with 5/49, a just reward for his perseverance. Then came Gurbani. The man who had famously dismantled Kerala with a five-wicket haul in the 2017 Ranji quarterfinals in Surat returned to haunt them. With the new ball in hand and moisture still clinging to the surface, he trapped opener Akshay Chandran lbw for a duck. Chandran was guilty of playing inside the line of the delivery. At the stroke of the tea interval, Gurbani had Kerala No.3 Baba Aparajith caught and bowled. A little more than 35 overs were possible before rain returned at 3.30 pm, ending play just four balls after the tea break. Nevertheless , Gurbani’s spell stood out, with his probing lines, movement, and command evoking memories of his peak.With overcast skies forecast and the surface still offering assistance, the third day looms large. But the script remains finely poised. Kerala pacer N Basil, however, is hopeful of a turnaround. “We had one bad session today. Confident of turning it around tomorrow. Even our No.11 can bat,” Basil said at the end of the day’s play.“My aim is to win atleast three games for Kerala this season,” he added.
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Kerala’s middle-order must now summon steel to counter Maharashtra’s momentum. The visitors, led by a rejuvenated Gurbani, will sense an opportunity to tighten the noose. The morning session tomorrow could well shape the outcome of this enthralling contest.Brief Scores: Maharashtra 239 (R Gaikwad 91, J Saxena 49, MD Nidheesh 5/49) lead Kerala 35/3 (R Gurbani 2/20) by 204 runs at stumps on Day 2.
