Kunnummal, Akshay score resolute half-centuries Premium

Haryana and Kerala battle it out in a Ranji Trophy match with Kunnummal and Chandran shining.

After heavy smog carved away the morning session, Haryana and Kerala played out a combative day of cricket in a Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match at the Chaudhary Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium here on Wednesday.

Kerala ended the opening day of the fifth-round game at 138 for two, thanks to resolute fifties from opener Rohan Kunnummal and No. 3 Akshay Chandran.

Earlier, pacer Anshul Kamboj validated his captain Ankit Kumar’s decision to bowl first on a lively pitch by having B. Aparajith caught behind in the day’s first over.

Kamboj and new-ball partner Aman Kumar rarely drifted away from the stumps in the opening spell, forcing Kunnummal and Akshay to prioritise preservation.

The Kerala pair relied largely on some sharp running between the wickets to stave off the new-ball challenge, with the duo scoring only eight fours in their partnership worth 91 runs.

Kunnummal was the more assertive of the two, with the 26-year-old committing fully to the forward press, allowing him to drive when Haryana bowlers pitched it up.

From the other end, Akshay stifled the opposition with some assured defending.