Is ‘30’ Kerala's 'Nelson' as three batters get out for the exact score, another barely survives?

When the umpire raised his finger to Chintan Gaja and his Gujarat teammates' appeal for leg before on Kerala's Mohammed Azharuddeen in the final ball on day one of the Ranji Trophy semifinals in Ahmedabad, there was something strange about the batter's score.

Azhar was batting on 30 when he missed the line and was adjudged leg before. The right-hander successfully reviewed and kept the score at 206/4 at stumps. The Kerala camp was relieved.

A certain pattern in individual scores had appeared on the day, with three Kerala batters dismissed on the exact score of 30; Akshay Chandran was run out on 30, his opening partner Rohan Kunnummal was given out lbw for 30, and Jalaj Saxena dragged a Nagwaswalla delivery onto his stumps, also on 30.

Interestingly, Kerala pacer M D Nidheesh was dismissed for the exact score of 30 in consecutive Ranji matches - against Bihar and Jammu & Kashmir.

Cricketers often have superstitions when it comes to certain scores. The score 111, usually called 'Nelson', is widely considered unlucky. So is the number 87, because it is 13 short of a hundred, and the number 13 itself.

Though a score of 30 is not traditionally regarded as unlucky in cricket, the Kerala camp might want to escape the unique bad luck associated with the particular number in their big game of the season.

When he returns to bat alongside captain Sachin Baby (69) on day two, Azhar might look to steal a quick single just to get off the score of 30.