Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 10: Off-spinner Parvez Rasool and wrist-spinner Manik Gupta spun a web around Kerala batsmen and bundled them out for a paltry total of 129 runs, while chasing a target of 204 runs set by J&K on a turning track on the third day of the 4-day Ranji trophy Group-C match at Perinthalmanna in Kerala, today.
It is for the first time in the cricketing history of Jammu and Kashmir that its Ranji trophy team has won two consecutive 4-day matches at this circuit-courtesy, all-rounder Parvez Rasool Zargar and Skipper Ian Dev Singh Chauhan alongwith their young brigade. The young team is gelling well and the skipper is leading from the front.
Earlier, resuming from an overnight total of 68/3 in the second essay, J&K lost early wickets today and managed to score 151 runs to set a target of 204 runs for Kerala. Ian was the top scorer with 37 runs, while useful contributions on a turner from Obaid Haroon (32), Parvez Rasool (21) and Mohd Mudasir (19) not out, studded with 3 massive sixes helped the team’s cause. For Kerala, P Prasanth was the wrecker-in-chief, who took 5 wickets, conceding just 16 runs in 14.4 overs, while KR Sreejith captured 3 wickets and PR Prem bagged two.
Chasing a target of 204 runs, Kerala batsmen failed to negotiate the J&K spinners who wrecked havoc in the rival camp with their nagging line and teasing length, making the ball to spun, drift and bounce at will. Openers VA Jagadeesh, who had scored 199 runs in the last match and AM Hegde showed some resistance to score 25 and 22 runs respectively, however, after their dismissal, none of the batsmen except Kadoth (19) could face the spinning music and the whole team collapsed at a meagre total of 129 runs, and lost the match by 74 runs. Parvez Rasool captured 5 wickets by conceding 43 runs in his 18 overs, while Manik Gupta bagged 5 wickets in his 9.4 overs by giving away 26 runs. Skipper Ian Dev Singh was adjudged man of the match for his marvelous century in the first innings.
J&K secured 6 points in the match and took their tally to 13 points, while Kerala remained at the bottom of the table with 4 points in their kitty.
The J&K team is being accompanied by former Test cricketer Bishen Singh Bedi as chief coach, JKCA Working Committee Member Shiban Lal Trakroo as manager, former Ranji Trophy skipper Abdul Qayoom as coach, Dr Asim as physio and Pawan Sharma as trainer.
The match was officiated by UL Dubey and AS Pathania as umpires, while VS Gawate was the match referee.
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