Following a narrow first-innings advantage, Vidarbha solidified their position in the match with impressive batting in their second innings, spearheaded by Karun Nair. Nair’s magnificent unbeaten 132 runs extended their lead to a substantial 286 runs against Kerala as the day concluded.
Kerala’s day began with a pressing need for quick wickets to regain control, and the initial hour unfolded favorably for them. Jalaj Saxena’s very first delivery of the day breached Parth Rekhade’s defenses, providing Kerala with an early breakthrough. This was quickly followed by another wicket in the subsequent over, as Dhruv Shorey edged behind off Nidheesh’s bowling. At 7 for 2, Vidarbha faced a precarious situation, but the experienced duo of Danish Malewar and Nair stepped up to rebuild the innings. Having already forged a 215-run partnership in the first innings, they continued their strong form this time as well.
Nair began his innings assertively and initially outscored his partner, before receiving a reprieve when dropped at 31. Akshay Chandran, fielding at slips, couldn’t hold onto a chance off Eden Apple Tom’s bowling, allowing Vidarbha to regain momentum. Subsequently, neither Nair nor Malewar, who had earlier successfully overturned an LBW decision, allowed Kerala back into the game. They displayed resilience, constructing another crucial partnership of 182 runs, and dominated the majority of the second session until Malewar was dismissed by Chandran for 73. Meanwhile, Nair had already reached his century, marking a highly productive domestic season across all formats for the 33-year-old. He then shared a patient 49-run stand with Yash Rathod in the final session and remained undefeated on 132 as Vidarbha ended the day with their sights firmly set on a third title.
Brief scores:Vidarbha 379 (Danish Malewar 154, Karun Nair 86; MD Nidheesh 3/61) & 249/4 (Karun Nair 132*, Danish Malewar 73) lead Kerala 342 all out (Sachin Baby 98, Aditya Sarwate 79; Darshan Nalkande 3-52) by 286 runs
