Ranji Trophy: Saxena bowls Kerala to big win

Thiruvananthapuram: Jalaj Saxena bamboozled the Services batters as Kerala scored a thumping 204-run win in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match at the St Xavier's College Ground, Thumba, on Friday.

Off-spinner Saxena picked up eight wickets on the final day as Services were bowled out for 136 shortly after lunch.

The visitors, who resumed on 20/0 in their chase of 341, started promisingly. Openers Shubham Rohilla and Sufiyan Alam took the score to 61.

Offie Vaisakh Chandran provided Kerala the vital breakthrough by snaring Rohilla. 

Saxena got into the act by castling Ravi Chouhan for seven. 

Services lost three wickets with the total on 98. Saxena sent back Rahul Singh Gahlaut (seven) and captain Rajat Paliwal (0). The veteran then ran out Alam for 52. 

Saxena completed his 27th fifth-wicket haul at the first-class level by removing L S Kumar (five) and Pulkit Narang (six) in the final over before the lunch break.

The 36-year-old wrapped up the win by claiming the remaining three wickets quickly on resumption of play.

Saxena returned a match-haul of 11/102. 

Saxena also went past the milestone of 400 first-class wickets during the course of his match-winning spell. The man from Indore has 403 wickets from 131 matches.

Sachin Baby was declared man of the match for his knocks of 159 & 93.

Kerala have 19 points from five matches and are in second spot behind Karnataka (26).

Kerala host Karnataka at the same venue from Tuesday.

Brief scores: Kerala 327 and 242/7 declared bt Services 229 & 136 in 46.4 overs (Sufiya Alam 52; Jalaj Saxena 8/36).

Points: Kerala 6; Services 0.