Ranji Trophy Semi-Finals, Day 1 Highlights: Malewar, Shorey Knocks Shore Up Vidarbha Against Mumbai; Kerala Slow But Steady Versus Gujarat

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the Ranji Trophy semifinals. Stay tuned for updates.

Vidarbha Squad: Atharva Taide, Dhruv Shorey, Danish Malewar, Karun Nair, Yash Rathod, Akshay Wadkar(w/c), Harsh Dubey, Aditya Thakare, Nachiket Bhute, Yash Thakur, Akshay Wakhare, Akshay Karnewar, Umesh Yadav, Siddhesh Wath, Parth Rekhade, Shubham Kapse, Aman Mokhade, Mandar Mahale, Yash Kadam, Praful Hinge

Mumbai Squad: Ayush Mhatre, Akash Anand(w), Siddhesh Lad, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Shams Mulani, Shardul Thakur, Tanush Kotian, Mohit Avasthi, Royston Dias, Karsh Kothari, Amogh Bhatkal, Suryansh Shedge, Sylvester DSouza, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Hardik Tamore, Shreyas Gurav

Gujarat: Priyank Panchal, Aarya Desai, Siddharth Desai, Manan Hingrajia, Jaymeet Patel, Urvil Patel(w), Chintan Gaja(c), Vishal Jayswal, Ravi Bishnoi, Arzan Nagwaswalla, Priyajitsing Jadeja, Rishi Patel, Aditya Udaykumar Patel, Rinkesh Vaghela, Umang Kumar, Tejas Patel, Hemang Patel, Het Patel, Kshitij Patel

Kerala: Akshay Chandran, Rohan Kunnummal, Shoun Roger, Sachin Baby(c), Jalaj Saxena, Salman Nizar, Mohammed Azharuddeen(w), Aditya Sarwate, MD Nidheesh, Nedumankuzhy Basil, Basil Thampi, Vaisakh Chandran, Baba Aparajith, Vishnu Vinod, KM Asif, Fazil Fanoos, Vathsal Govind, Krishna Prasad, Anand Krishnan

Vidarbha have won the toss and elected to bat first against Mumbai in Nagpur, while Kerala have won the toss and opted to bat first versus Gujarat in Ahmedabad.

Vidarbha: Atharva Taide, Dhruv Shorey, Danish Malewar, Karun Nair, Yash Rathod, Akshay Wadkar (wk/c), Harsh Dubey, Nachiket Bhute, Darshan Nalkande, Yash Thakur, Parth Rekhade

Mumbai: Ayush Mhatre, Akash Anand (wk), Siddhesh Lad, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Shams Mulani, Shardul Thakur, Tanush Kotian, Mohit Avasthi, Royston Dias

Gujarat: Priyank Panchal, Aarya Desai, Siddharth Desai, Manan Hingrajia, Jaymeet Patel, Urvil Patel (wk), Chintan Gaja (c), Vishal Jayswal, Ravi Bishnoi, Arzan Nagwaswalla, Priyajitsing Jadeja

Kerala: Akshay Chandran, Rohan Kunnummal, Sachin Baby (c), Jalaj Saxena, Salman Nizar, Varun Nayanar, Mohammed Azharuddeen (wk), Aditya Sarwate, Ahammed Imran, MD Nidheesh, Nedumankuzhy Basil

Vidarbha openers Atharva Taide and Dhruv Shorey are off to a watchful start against the Mumbai new-ball attack of Shardul Thakur and Mohit Avasthi. Both bowlers have begun well too, bowling probing lines around and outside the off stump. Several deliveries have found thick outside edges but gone on the bounce to the slip cordon. This promises to be an engrossing contest.

Vidarbha 13/0 in 4 overs

Gujarat's new-ball bowlers Chintan Gaja and Arzan Nagwaswalla are keeping things tight against Kerala openers Akshay Chandran and Rohan Kunnummal. Just seven runs have resulted off the first five overs, with a solitary boundary off Chandran's blade.

Kerala 7/0 in 5 overs

Mumbai get the first breakthrough in the 11th over. Left-arm seamer Royston Dias makes an impact soon after introduction into the attack, having Atharva Taide caught behind by 'keeper Akash Anand. Though the hosts compiled 39 runs for the opening wicket, the lion's share of those runs came off Dhruv Shorey's blade, with Taide managing just four off 20 balls.

Vidarbha 46/1 in 12 overs

After withstanding the first hour of the day against Gujarat's disciplined new-ball bowlers, the Kerala openers were just beginning to cash in and up the scoring rate, when a freak run out breaks their partnership. A dubious call for a single by Rohan Kunnummal leads to a horrendous mix-up, and Akshay Chandran has to pay the price in the form of his wicket after scoring a patient 30 off 71 balls.

Kerala 61/1 after 21 overs

Dhruv Shorey crosses the fifty-run mark. The 32-year-old opener has batted fluently and looks good for many more runs. Parth Rekhade is giving him good company, batting at 22 off 57 deliveries. Mumbai need a wicket, preferably Shorey's, before lunch to wrest the initiative.

Vidarbha 88/1 in 25 overs

Both Vidarbha and Kerala go into the lunch break, two wickets down. Vidarbha have notched up 101 runs in 30 overs of play, losing Atharva Taide in the 11th and Parth Rekhade in the 27th overs respectively. Dhruv Shorey is holding fort for the hosts, unbeaten at 60. As for Kerala, they have lost both openers Akshya Chandran and Rohan Kunnummal and scored 70 runs in the bargain, with captain Sachin Baby at the crease alongside Varun Nayanar.

Vidarbha 101/2 in 30 overs

Kerala 70/2 in 33 overs

The post-lunch session is underway in Nagpur as well as Ahmedabad. Kerala skipper Sachin Baby hits Jaymeet Patel for a boundary off the fifth ball, while Danish Malewar smashes India international Shardul Thakur for a four off the first ball after the resumption. Conditions ostensibly easier for batting in the afternoon at both venues.

Kerala have lost their third wicket in the form of Varun Nayanar. Seamer Priyajitsing Jadeja has Nayanar caught behind by Urvil Patel in the 41st over to peg the visitors back. Sachin Baby is now joined by the experienced Jalaj Saxena at the crease.

Kerala 94/3 in 42 overs

Dhruv Shorey is unable to convert his fifty to a hundred in Nagpur, as Shams Mulani has him caught by Mumbai skipper Ajinkya Rahane for 74. The opener has set the foundation for Vidarbha, but would have liked to make a big one. The in-form Karun Nair is now at the crease alongside Danish Malewar, who is batting at 39 off 67 and appears to be set.

Vidarbha 162/3 in 45 overs

The alliance between Sachin Baby and Jalaj Saxena is growing in confidence. The partnership is now worth 43 runs and has steadied the Kerala ship somewhat. Baby is batting at 36 and Saxena on 18, even as ravi Bishnoi is in the attack to look for another breakthrough.

Kerala 129/3 in 56 overs

Both Kerala and Vidarbha are three down at the end of the post-lunch session on Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy semi-finals. Vidarbha have crossed the 200-run mark thanks to a promising unbroken partnership between Karun Nair (35 not out off 55 balls) and Danish Malewar (59 not out off 12). Kerala have been a bit sluggish in comparison but have ensured that go to tea in a decent position, with senior pros Jalaj Saxena (26 not out off 58) and Sachin Baby (42 not out off 116) in the middle.

Kerala 143/3 in 61 overs

Vidarbha 211/3 in 60 overs

India all-rounder Shivam Dube has snapped up the big fish Karun Nair. Dube has Nair caught behind by 'keeper Akash Anand soon after the tea break, and the 33-year-old batter has to walk back after scoring 45. Yash Rathod has joined Danish Malewar, who is going strong at 68 not out.

Vidarbha 242/4 in 66.5 overs

Arzan Nagwaswalla cleans up Jalaj Saxena after the 38-year-old all-rounder had got to a laborious 30 off 83 balls. Mohammed Azharuddeen now giving company to Sachin Baby, who has crossed the fifty-run mark, at the crease. The new ball is less than three overs away, and Gujarat might be tempted to take it straight away to spice up the final hour of play.

Kerala 167/4 in 77.4 overs

Shams Mulani has prised out another key scalp. This time, it is the well-set Danish Malewar, who departs after scoring a crucial 79 off 157 balls. It is another caught-behind dismissal, Akash Anand's third of the innings so far, and Vidarbha are five down heading into the final half hour of the day.

Vidarbha 292/5 in 84 overs

Kerala have ended day 1 in a decent position against Gujarat. Though they have only scored 206 runs, the tourists have limited the fall of wickets to four, and skipper Sachin Baby is unbeaten at 69 off 193 balls. Mohammed Azharuddeen has reached 30 (not out) off 66, and the unbroken stand is worth 49 runs.

At stumps on Day 1: Kerala 206/4 in 89 overs

Yash Rathod (47 not out off 86) and captain Akshay Wadkar (13 not out off 35) take Vidarbha to the end of the day without further damage. The hosts have lost half their side, but have also crossed the 300-run mark and will be looking to score well in excess of 400 in the first innings. Shivam Dube and Shams Mulani picked up two wickets apiece for Mumbai.

At stumps on Day 1: Vidarbha 308/5 in 88 overs