Ranji Trophy | Karnataka and Kerala play the waiting game from dressing room for most of day two

Damp affair: Groundstaff had to work long and hard at the Alur Grounds.
| Photo Credit: N. SUDARSHAN

But for a miracle, Karnataka looks set to finish a second straight Ranji Trophy Elite Group-C match with one point after multiple spells of heavy rain washed out two of the three sessions on day two of the contest against Kerala.

At the Alur Grounds here on Saturday, all of 27 overs of play was possible on day two, with Kerala moving from an overnight 88 for no loss to 161 for three.

As the shadows lengthened, there was more precipitation, which can potentially dent the chances of a full day’s play on Sunday and further exhaust Karnataka’s possibilities of progressing from a tough group.

In fact, for about 20 minutes prior to lunch, the players had the company of only a mild and unthreatening drizzle. Little did they expect it to acquire monstrous properties and keep the players locked in the dressing room for the rest of the day.

The sun did come out at around 2.30 p.m., and that too in blazing fashion. The ground staff removed the covers and the super-soppers were hard at work. But at about 3.30 p.m., the umpires decided that no amount of intense sunshine would be able to dry the field in time for a few overs’ play.

Karnataka started the morning brightly as speedster V. Koushik had the dangerous Rohan Kunnummal (63, 88b, 10×4, 1×6) caught by R. Smaran at short-cover in the fifth over of the day. Four balls later, the compact Vathsal Govind was pinned to the crease by V. Vyshak and dismissed leg-before.

B. Aparajith (19, 58b, 3×4) and skipper Sachin Baby (23 batting, 62b, 3×4) resisted for a while by coming together for a slow but steady 50-run partnership for the third wicket. But leggie Shreyas Gopal induced a false shot from Aparajith and Vyshak completed a fine running catch from mid-on.

That brought Sanju Samson to the crease and he looked in pristine touch (15, 13b, 2×4, 1×6), smacking Shreyas for a giant slapped six over deep mid-wicket, and cutting and driving medium-pacer Vidyadhar Patil for two boundaries. But none of it could please the rain gods.

The scores: Kerala – 1st innings: Vathsal Govind lbw b Vyshak 31, Rohan Kunnummal c Smaran b Koushik 63, B. Aparajith c Vyshak b Shreyas 19, Sachin Baby (batting) 23, Sanju Samson (batting) 15; Extras (b-4, lb-6): 10; Total (for three wkts. in 50 overs): 161.

Fall of wickets: 1-94, 2-94, 3-144.

Karnataka bowling: Koushik 19-8-43-1, Vidyadhar 14-3-43-0, Vyshak 11-3-34-1, Hardik 2-0-13-0, Shreyas 4-0-18-1.