NAGPUR: Vidarbha's Harsh Dubey struck twice in the first session to get to a record-equalling 68 wickets in a season as visitors Kerala crawled to 219/5 at lunch on the third day of the Ranji Trophy final here on Friday.
Kerala lost overnight batter Aditya Sarwate (79) and Salman Nizar (21) while making slow progress throughout the opening session, adding 88 runs in nearly 32 overs.
Skipper Sachin Baby (52 not out) was at the crease as Kerala, who trail by another 160 runs in the first innings, looked to consolidate.
Dubey claimed his 67th wicket of the 2024-25 season, getting Sarwate caught at first slip in the 56th over. The left-arm spinner added another to his tally when Nizar was adjudged leg-before at the stroke of lunch.
Brief scores: Vidarbha 379 in 123.1 overs (Danish Malewar 153, Karun Nair 86; MD Nidheesh 3/61, Eden Apple Tom 3/101)lead Kerala 219/5 in 70.4 overs (Aditya Sarwate 79, Sachin Baby 52 batting; Darshan Nalkande 2/39, Harsh Dubey 2/42) by 160 runs.