Kerala continued their dream season by storming into the semifinals of the Ranji Trophy for the first time with a crushing 113-run win over Gujarat at the Krishnagiri Stadium in Wayanad on Thursday.
The victory was set up by the pace duo of Basil Thampi and Sandeep Warrier who scalped 16 wickets between them, with M D Nidheesh chipping in with vital strikes.
Sijomon Joseph, who was the lone batsman from either side to score a fifty on a treacherous track, and Jalaj Saxena, who contributed a crucial unbeaten 44 in the second innings, too had a big role in Kerala's win.
Captain Sachin Baby and coach Dav Whatmore deserve praise for moulding Kerala into a fighting unit. Kerala, who made it to the quarterfinals for the first time last season with Sachin-Whatmore duo at the helm, did extremely well to qualify for the last-eight, while heavyweights such as Mumbai, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Bengal and Punjab failed to progress.
The Kerala Cricket Association too needs a pat for retaining Sachin as captain despite a player revolt against the southpaw at the start of the season.
Australian Whatmore has proved yet again that he is a master tactician as his move to open the batting with Vinoop Manoharan in a must-win chase against Himachal Pradesh in the final group game proved decisive. So was the decision to send in Sijomon at the crucial No. 3 slot against both Himachal and Gujarat.
Kerala's victory over Gujarat was a triumph of their fighting spirit. The team showed resilience after being restricted to 185 in their first innings on the first day. Basil, Warrier and Nidheesh made sure that Kerala gained a handy first innings lead of 23. Sijomon and Saxena helped the home side set the former champions a stiff target of 195. Sanju V Samson demonstrated his bravery by coming out to bat with a broken finger in the second innings. Basil and Warrier combined to wreck Gujarat in the second innings and set up a historic win.
Defending champions Vidarbha or Uttarakhand await Kerala in the semifinals. It was Vidarbha who ousted Kerala last season. Sachin and Co. will be determined to go all the way this time around.
