Ranji Trophy: Kerala bowl Mumbai out for 251

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala bowled Mumbai out for 251 on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match at the St Xavier's College Ground, Thumba, on Friday. 

Basil Thampi provided the perfect start for Kerala by trapping opener Jay Bista in front of the wicket off the first ball of the match after Ajinkya Rahane opted to bat. The right-arm pacer then forced Rahane to edge one to Sanju Samson behind the stumps off the very next ball to leave Mumbai reeling at 0/2.

Left-arm pacer  Vishweshwar Suresh dismissed Suved Parkar for 18. Prakar added 41 for the third wicket along with opener Bhupen Lalwani (50).

Lalwani and wicketkeeper-batter Prasad Pawar (28) put on 65 for the fourth wicket before leggie Shreyas Gopal broke the stand by scalping the latter. M D Nidheesh put Kerala on top by removing a well-set Lalwani.

Shivam Dube and Shams Mulani were involved in a 45-run stand for the sixth wicket. Off-spinner Jalaj Saxena removed Mulani for eight. 

The left-handed Dube hit four fours and a couple of sixes in his 72-ball 51 before Gopal had him caught behind.

Tanush Kotian and Mothi Avasthi joined hands to take Mumbai past the 200-run mark, with a 44-run stand for the eighth wicket. Avasthi was clean bowled by Saxena for 16.

Kotian top-scored with 56 off 105 balls. His innings was laced with six fours.

Gopal (4/28) was the most successful Kerala bowler.

Mumbai are leading the group with 14 points from two games, while Kerala are in fifth spot with four points.

Brief scores: Mumbai 251 in 78.4 overs (Tanush Kotian 56, Shivam Dube 51, Bhupen Lalwani 50; Shreyas Gopal 4/28, Basil Thampi 2/41) vs Kerala.