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Kerala beat Bengal by 109 runs, pocket six points.
Bengal's valiant fight ended in them losing their last three wickets for four runs as they were bowled out for 339, handing Kerala a 109-run win to mark their first victory of this Ranji Trophy season. Basil Thampi was finally introduced to bowl and he wrapped things up with a couple of wickets including that of Shahbaz Ahmed (80), who was the last man to fall. This result now means that Bengal have been knocked out of the tournament with a game to spare.
Tea on Day 4 - Bengal 324/7, require 125 more runs to win.
Regardless of how this contest ends, this has been a special chase by Bengal. Shahbaz Ahmed (74*) has driven things along for the visitors despite Manoj Tiwary (35) falling soon after Lunch. Karan Lal's 78-ball 40 and his partnership of 83 for the seventh wicket with Shahbaz has given Bengal hope to cling onto even as the former was dismissed by NP Basil. Shahbaz has proclaimed wanting to be Bengal's Ben Stokes before - can he do something that Stokes has made a name for himself for?
Lunch on Day 4 - Bengal 217/5, require 232 more runs to win.
Bengal have indeed looked to go for the target from the outset although having lost half their side, the bridge seems a tough one to cross. Abhimanyu Easwaran (65) scored a second fifty in the game while Abhishek Porel blitzed his way to an 18-ball 28, even as Shreyas Gopal and Jalaj Saxena continue to spin a web around the batters. Manoj Tiwary (32*) and Shahbaz Ahmed (21*) have begun well but given that they are the last recognized batting pair for Bengal, they simply have to pull off a partnership for the ages in order to take their team close.
Stumps on Day 3 - Bengal 77/2, require 372 more runs to win.
A fabulous day in the park for Kerala and they've already nabbed two wickets to put themselves on course for a famous win. Jalaj Saxena picked up his tenth for the match while Shreyas Gopal removed Sudip Kumar Gharami (31) off the last ball of the day to leave Bengal in real trouble. With a massive 372 runs standing between the visitors and an improbable win, will they look to counter-attack their way on the final day?
Tea on Day 3 - Kerala 265/6d; Bengal require 449 runs to win.
Sachin Baby backed up his century in the first innings with a brisk 51 but Kerala pulled the shutters down on their second essay after Shreyas Gopal got to his fifty. With a massive lead of 448, they have four sessions now to bowl Bengal out and secure an outright victory. Can Bengal's batters do the unthinkable though?
Lunch on Day 3 - Kerala 142/2, lead Bengal by 325 runs in the 2nd innings.
Jalaj Saxena removed the last two Bengal wickets within no time to finish with 9/69 in the first innings as Kerala pocketed a massive lead of 183 in the first innings. Rohan Kunnummal then took over with a brisk 51 before him and Saxena (37) were dismissed by Shahbaz Ahmed. Sachin Baby (30*) and Akshay Chandran (22*), the centurions from the first innings, have begun well again and Kerala will aim to swell this lead to a point of no return for Bengal.
Stumps on Day 2 - Bengal 172/8, trail Kerala by 191 runs in the 1st innings.
Seven wickets fell in the final session of Day 2 as Bengal came crashing down to Jalaj Saxena's wizardry. The off-spinner snared all seven wickets to fall in this passage of play to put Kerala right on top of the contest with the Bengal innings falling apart right after Abhimanyu Easwaran was dismissed for 72. While Karan Lal is on 27 and Suraj Jaiswal on 9, to say that they have a massive job on hand would be an understatement.
Tea on Day 2 - Bengal 99/1, trail Kerala by 264 runs in the 1st innings.
A steady start for Bengal with the bat having rubbed off 99 runs of the first innings deficit for the loss of just one wicket. Ranjot Singh Kharia scored just six runs but Abhimanyu Easwaran has breezed along to an unbeaten 67 off 77 deliveries. Sudip Kumar Gharami is giving him company at the moment on 22 and the duo will attempt to bat out the rest of the day at the same positive pace while keeping the Kerala bowlers at bay.
Lunch on Day 2 - Kerala 363 all out in the 1st innings.
Shahbaz Ahmed's 4/73 helped Bengal mount a fightback on the second morning as Kerala were bowled out for 363. There wasn't much to ride home about for the hosts post the dismissals of Sachin Baby (124) and Akshay Chandran (106) as the rest failed to capitalize on the team's firm position in the contest. Can Bengal's batters now power along to a healthy first innings lead?
Stumps on Day 1 - Kerala 265/4 in the 1st innings.
Sachin Baby remained unbeaten on 110 as he capped off a fine day at the office for himself and his side, with Kerala's score at Stumps reading 265/4. Akshay Chandran stroked his way to a half-century himself as he ended the day unbeaten on 76. It has been a long, hard day for Bengal and yet another one that has left them searching for answers in what has been a tough Ranji Trophy campaign so far.
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St Xavier's College Ground, Thiruvananthapuram
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