Ranji Trophy: Rohan Kunnummal stars as Kerala make solid reply

Rajkot: Young opener Rohan S Kunnummal notched up his second successive hundred to lead Kerala's strong reply against Gujarat in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match here on Friday. Riding on Rohan's second ton in just his third first-class match, Kerala ended the second day on 277/4. They trail the hosts by 111 runs in the first innings.

Rohan made 129 off 171 balls with the help of 16 fours and four sixes. The right-hander was involved in two major partnerships.

 

Rohan and Rahul P (44) added 85 for the first wicket in 14 overs. Left-arm spinner Siddharth Desai provided the breakthrough by dismissing Rahul. The left-hander hit eight fours in his 51-ball knock. Desai removed Jalaj Saxena for four in the last over before the lunch break.

 

The 23-year-old Rohan put on 119 for the third wicket in the company of captain Sachin Baby (53). The right-left combination kept the Gujarat bowlers at bay in the post-lunch session.

 

Sachin was dismissed by Arzan Nagwaswalla. His 100-ball knock contained six fours and a six. 

 

Rohan fell off the bowling of Roosh Kalaria in the final session.

 

Vathsal Govind (14) and Vishnu Vinod (21) were at the crease at stumps.

 

Earlier, wicketkeeper-batter Het Patel scored a brilliant 185 as Gujarat were bowled out for 388. The hosts, who  resumed on 334/6, added 54 more in the morning session.

 

Het did the bulk of the scores - 39 - to take his score to 185 before being the last man to fall. Het, who smashed his maiden first-class ton in just his second match, hit 29 fours and two sixes while facing 245 balls. 

 

M D Nidheesh picked up five wickets, while his pace partner Basil Thampi claimed four. This was Nidheesh's fourth five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.

 

Kerala thrashed Meghalaya in their opening match, while Gujarat had lost to Madhya Pradesh. 

 

Brief scores: Gujarat 388 in 96.1 overs (Het Patel 185, Karan P Patel 120; M D Nidheesh 5/54, Basil Thampi 4/118) vs Kerala 277/4 in 69 overs (Rohan S Kunnummal 129, Sachin Baby 53; Siddharth Desai 2/86).