Vidarbha fight back after being bowled out for 246

A late rally from the lower order and early wickets from the new-ball pair of Lalit Yadav and Rajneesh Gurbani helped Vidarbha regain some lost ground in Surat.

After they had been pinned down to 95 for 6, wicketkeeper-batsman Akshay Wadkar, who was playing only his third first-class game, struck a maiden fifty, and stitched up 74 for the seventh wicket with Aditya Sarwate (36) to push Vidarbha's total to 246. Left-arm spinner KC Akshay secured his second five-wicket haul in three matches.

In reply, Kerala made 32 for the loss of opener Mohammed Azharuddeen and nightwatchman Sandeep Warrier before stumps was called.

Having started the second day on 45 for 3 - wet weather had wiped out two sessions on the first - Vidarbha lost Ganesh Satish and Apoorv Wankhade early. Karn Sharma then added 24 to his overnight 7 before he was trapped lbw by allrounder Jalaj Saxena. At 95 for 6 in the 50th over, a full-blown collapse loomed, but Wadkar and the lower order averted it. He was the ninth man dismissed but Wakhare and No. 11 Yadav put on 53 for the last wicket to frustrate Kerala.