KOCHI: Kerala recorded their third successive victory in Group B of the Syed Mushtaq Ali national Twenty20 cricket tournament by brushing aside minnows Tripura by eight wickets at the St Paul’s College Ground, Kalamassery here on Monday.
Deciding to field first, Kerala’s 22-year-old paceman Basil Thampi was in the groove of things for the match accounting for four wickets as the hosts bundled out Tripura for 111. An unbeaten half century by Sanju V Samson (56 not out) and a well-made 40 by Rohan Prem saw Kerala through to top Group B standings with a perfect win record.
Udiyan Bose was the only Tripura batsman to offer resistance as he hit 35 runs off 42 balls before he fell prey to Raiphi Vincent Gomez as the seventh victim with the score at 82. Before that, Kerala’s opening bowlers Sandeep Warrier and Basil had ran riot through the opposition’s top order, accounting for two wickets each. Basil claimed two more wickets at death to end with career-best figures (4/15).