Buchi Babu tournament: TNCA XI gain upper hand over Kerala

Tirunelveli: Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) XI gained a first innings lead of 126 over Kerala on the second day of their Buchi Babu tournament Group D fixture here on Wednesday.

TNCA XI finished on 344/9 in response to Kerala's 218 in the four-day contest. Nidhish S Rajagopal top-scored with 90, while opener Madhava Prasad (72) and captain M Shahrukh Khan (60) too scored fifties.

Resuming on 50/0, the home side lost opener Jitendra Kumar in the very first over of the day. Akhil Scaria cleaned up the right-hander for his overnight score of 15.

Next man Shubhang Mishra too did not last long as he was sent back by Fanoos F for 10 with the total on 62. 

Prasad and Shahrukh added 79 for the third wicket before the latter was castled by left-arm spinner Sijomon Joseph. 

Shahrukh smashed eight fours and two sixes in his 48-ball knock.

Off-spinner Vinoop Manoharan dismissed Prasad with the total on 210. His patient 164-ball innings was laced with five fours and a six.

Vinoop and Sijomon accounted for R Ram Aravindh (2) and M Siddharth (1) respectively as TNCA XI slumped to 227/6.

However, Nidhish and Jhathavedh Subramanyan (25) added 78 for the eight wicket to take them past the 300-run mark. Akhin Sathar ended Nidhish's 144-ball stint. The right-hander hit 10 fours and a six.

P Saravana Kumar (15 batting) and Ajay K Krishnan (14 batting) frustrated Kerala by adding 31 runs for the unbroken last wicket.

Brief scores: Kerala 218 vs TNCA XI 344/9 in 100 overs (Nidhish S Rajagopal 90, Madhava Prasad 72, M Shahrukh Khan 60; Vinoop Manoharan 2/35, Akhil Scaria 2/60, Sijomon Joseph 2/77 Fanoos F 2/101).