Srinagar: Months of toiling, thousands of runs scored, thousands of balls bowled, remaining unbeaten and in the end it all came to just one run that mattered the most and that is what cost J&K Cricket team its Dream Semifinal spot of Ranji Trophy tournament as Kerala qualified for the semifinal courtesy one-run lead in the first inning of the quarterfinal vs J&K at MCA Stadium Pune on Tuesday.
The innings of lifetime played by Salman Nizar for Kerala in first inning and stitching 81 run last wicket stand with Basil Thampi turned out a deciding factor in the match and a difference between the two sides. Even in second innings, Salaman Nizar once again turned out as villain for J&K , defying all odds and stitched unbroken stand with Mohammad Azharuddeen to see Kerala home. J&K needed just four wickets to win, but Nizar and Azharuddin had unbroken stand of 115 runs to defy J&K bowlers. Nizar remained unbeaten on 44 off 162 balls, Mohammed Azharuddeen 67 off 118 balls. The seventh-wicket pair batted out 42.4 overs to grind J&K’s attack to dust on the final day.
Kerala are now scheduled to face Gujarat in the semi-final on February 17, while Mumbai will take on Vidarbha in the other semi-final.
Though Salman Nizar’s second-innings was important and made sure Kerala cruise into Semifinal, it was actually his first-innings 112 that set the game up for Kerala. Salman almost alone took Kerala from the brink to giving them the mere one-run lead that eventually proved massive. Nizar put together 81 runs with No. 11 Basil Thampi to help steal the lead after J&K had Kerala tottering at 200 for 9 in reply to J&K’s 280.
Earlier chasing a target of 399, Kerala never seemed in hurry. The plan was simple, stay in the middle and take it ball by ball. Resuming from overnight score of 100 for 2, Sachin and Akshay Chandran denied J&K bowlers early opportunity to make inroads.
Sachin and Akshay patiently added only 28 runs in the first 24 overs. However, shortly before lunch, Akshay fell two runs short of his fifty, after getting out to Sahil Lotra. Sachin also ended up scoring 48, off-spinner Lotra again giving J&K breakthrough.
In the early moments of the second session, Lotra and left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq spiced things up with quick wickets of Jalaj Saxena and Aditya Sarvate. It was the moment when it seemed that it is all gone for Kerala with J&K as clear cut favourites.
However, in came first innings hero Salman Nizar, joined by Mohammad Azharuddeen. The duo of Azharuddin (67) and Nizar (44) stood like a wall in front of J&K bowlers. They formed a unbroken stand of 115.
They made sure to stay there till the then end and help Kerala reach semifinal of Ranji Trophy after six year gap, Courtesy of one-run first innings lead. They also made sure that J&K’s dream of making it to semifinal of Ranji Trophy continues to be a dream.
Salman Nizar was awarded player of the match award for his heroics.
Brief Score J&K vs Kerala Quaterfinal:
First Inning:
J&K: 280/10 (Kanhaiya 48, Nasir 44, Nidhesh 6-wkts, Sarwate 2-wkts)
Kerala: 200/9 (Salman Nizar 112*, Jalaj Saxena 67, Auqib Nabi 6-wkts, Yudhvir 2 wkts, Sahil 2-wkts)
2nd Innings:
J&K: 399/9 dec ( Dogra 132, Wadhawan 64, Sahil 59, Nidheesh 4-wkts) lead by 179 runs
Kerala: 295/6 (Azharuddeen 67*,Sachin 48, Salman 44* Yudhvir 2-wkts)
Result: Kerala qualify for semifinal due to first inning lead points