Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Nidheesh five-for helps Kerala dominate Madhya Pradesh on opening day

Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Nidheesh five-for helps Kerala dominate Madhya Pradesh on opening day

Kerala bowlers validated their captain Sachin Baby’s decision to field first, as they put their side in control against Madhya Pradesh on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group C fixture here at the Greenfield International Stadium on Thursday.

Powered by a fifer from pacer M. D. Nidheesh, Kerala cashed in on a lack of restrain from the away batters to bowl out Madhya Pradesh for just 160 in the first innings.

In response, openers Rohan Kunnummal and Akshay Chandran saw off the new-ball threat as Kerala cantered to 54/0 at the end of the first day, played out in front of near-empty stands.

Nidheesh set the ball rolling in the morning session with a probing opening spell which accounted for three Madhya Pradesh top-order wickets.

The Kerala pacer kept the cherry in the channel and moved the ball away from the right-handers. The reward came when he had opener Harsh Gawli and one-down batter Rajat Patidar caught behind in the same over.

Himanshu Mantri, the other Madhya Pradesh opener, soon fell prey to Nidheesh’s consistent line, edging one to Baba Aparajith at second slip.

With the pitch easing out, Sachin turned to his spinners – off-spinner Jalaj Saxena and left-armer Aditya Sarwate – who jolted the rival middle order with three wickets.

Madhya Pradesh’s woes were compounded when key batter Venkatesh Iyer was forced off the field after he twisted his ankle while attempting a flick off his pads.

While the rest of his side fell apart, Madhya Pradesh skipper Shubham Sharma managed to repel Kerala’s concerted bowling effort and compile a controlled fifty.

A hobbling Venkatesh soon returned to the middle to offer his captain some much-needed support. But, Shubham’s vigil ended when he played on against Nidheesh as the seamer sealed his fifth First-Class fifer.

Venkatesh, who often dragged himself across the pitch for singles, then found an ally in Avesh Khan. The duo shored up the Madhya Pradesh innings with a 43-run stand – the biggest of the innings – for the ninth wicket.

But, any hopes of a dream resurgence were snuffed out by pacer Basil NP, who castled Venkatesh with an in-swinger to end his valiant effort.

Basil repeated the trick next ball against last-man Kuldeep Sen to polish off the Madhya Pradesh innings to establish Kerala’s advantage, which was hammered in by some composed batting from Rohan and Akshay.