Ranji Trophy: Rohan’s free-flowing hundred puts Kerala in a position of strength

Kerala opener Rohan Kunnummal scored a free-flowing hundred to lift his side to a dominant position against Goa in their final Elite Group B match here on Friday.

Riding on Rohan’s first First Class century in over three years, Kerala reached 237 for two at the end of the second day at the Goa Cricket Association Ground, 119 runs away from claiming the first-innings lead.

The 27-year-old Rohan was a picture of confidence throughout the day as he carted 13 fours and five sixes on his way to an unbeaten 132.

Rohan received a reprieve in the final over of the day, when he was stumped off left-arm spinner Amulya Pandrekar’s bowling, only for the third umpire to signal a no-ball for overstepping.

Rohan had begun his knock by feasting on the fuller-length deliveries offered by left-arm pacer Arjun Tendulkar with some cracking punches on the up, with a carved six over covers the highlight of their duel.

After breezing past the new-ball threat, Rohan then began to pick apart the home spinners with lofted shots, targeting the V.

Rohan and Abhishek Nair put on a 97-run opening stand before the latter was trapped in front by Pandrekar.

Abhishek’s dismissal, though, had no impact on Rohan’s aggressive intent as he raced to his century off just 106 deliveries.

Working in tandem with Sachin Baby and Salman Nizar, Rohan helped Kerala chisel away at Goa’s first-innings total, which had received a lower-order boost earlier in the day.

Resuming at 279 for eight, Goa added 76 more runs, batting on for nearly two hours in a frustrating morning session for the away side. Wicketkeeper-batter Samar Dubhashi orchestrated the rearguard act with an unbeaten 55, marked by dogged resistance.

The scores: Goa — 1st innings: Suyash Prabhudessai c Imran b Ankit 86, Kashyap Bakhale lbw b Ankit 12, Abhinav Tejrana c Nidheesh b Ankit 1, Snehal Kauthankar c Baby b Basil 29, Lalit Yadav c Krishna b Basil 21, Yash Kasvankar b Ankit 50, Darshan Misal c Rohan b Baby 22, Arjun Tendulkar c Krishna b Ankit 36, Samar Dubhashi (not out) 55, Amulya Pandrekar c Baby b Ankit 10, V Koushik c Krishna b Nidheesh 21; Extras: (lb-6, nb-4, w-2): 12; Total (in 110.4 overs): 355.

Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-37, 3-92, 4-123, 5-183, 6-221, 7-244, 8-279, 9-304.

Kerala bowling: Nidheesh 20.4-1-73-1, Basil 22-5-73-2, Ankit 46-4-115-6, Sreehari 9-0-35-0, Baby 10-1-37-1, Vishnu 3-0-16-0.

Kerala — 1st innings: Rohan Kunnummal (batting) 132, Abhishek Nair lbw b Pandrekar 32, Sachin Baby c Kauthankar b Lalit 37, Salman Nizar (batting) 25; Extras: (b-8, nb-3): 11; Total (for two wkts. in 58 overs): 237.

Fall of wickets: 1-97, 2-183.

Goa bowling: Arjun 11-1-60-0, Koushik 11-2-31-0, Misal 8-1-41-0, Lalit 16-2-43-1, Pandrekar 9-0-44-1, Kasvankar 3-0-10-0.