Lower order props up Hyderabad

After a see-sawing day's cricket at Krishnagiri Stadium in Wayanad, hosts Kerala and Hyderabad emerged on equal terms, courtesy an unbroken stand of 71 between Nos. 8 and 9 Ibrahim Khaleel and Ashish Reddy. Hyderabad finished on 225 for 7 on a pitch that already has variable bounce and promises a big morning helping of swing in the misty hill-station.

Khaleel is playing only his second first-class game since November 2012 - he missed the 2013-14 season altogether - but showed few signs of rustiness. Ashish Reddy, meanwhile, just extended what is a splendid run with the bat: in his previous two innings this season, he scored 95 and 66. The pair did not do anything flashy, patiently playing out more than 25 overs to ensure their side did not crumble. Both will resume next morning with scores in the mid-30s, and they'll have to show the same resolve if the first session of day two proves to be as challenging as it was today.

The sun did not make its first appearance till after 11, meaning the pitch stayed damp and the ball swung around a good deal. Runs were at a premium, as 120 of the first 138 balls were dots. A fine away swinger from Sandeep Warrier accounted for opener Akshath Reddy, before Tanmay Agarwal and Hanuma Vihari got through to the first drinks break.

Whether it was the scenic hills in the background or the life-sized elephant cut-out, with Wayanad District Cricket Association printed on it, that traversed the ground at drinks, one can't tell, but something distracted Agarwal. He jumped out at seamer P Anthaf and tried to swing to cow corner, but couldn't clear Sachin Baby at short mid-on. Baby, the captain, had done well to position himself there to keep the pressure on the batsmen, and reaped the benefits. Agarwal managed 6 off 60.

Hyderabad captain Ravi Teja was proactive too, sending in Pragyan Ojha at No. 4 to protect his middle order till the sun came out and the pitch dried and eased out, but his experiment did not come off. Ojha was out for 1, meaning the captain had to come in before lunch; he wouldn't have lasted till the interval, either, but Sanju Samson dropped him at gully off debutant left-arm spinner K Monish.

By the time play resumed, the sun was blazing down, and Vihari tried to change the pace of the game. He deposited the last two balls of the 38th over over Monish's head for four and six to trigger a short period of free-flowing runs. Baby seemed to panic a bit too soon, immediately taking Monish off despite Vihari having come dangerously, and encouragingly, down the track to take him on. Baby shuffled his bowlers around quite a bit in that period, and Vihari got to a fifty.

It took a trick from the pitch to peg Hyderabad back again: seamer Raiphi Gomez got one to bounce a bit extra - just an over after one from him failed to get up at all - to have an unsure Teja poke to second slip.

Just as another stand was developing, Monish, who had varied his pace nicely and brought out the odd arm ball, struck again; a leading edge from Balchander Anirudh was smartly taken by Gomez running back from cover.

Vihari was gone in the second over after tea for 76, and Kerala sensed a quick finish to the innings. That is when Khaleel and Ashish Reddy came together. They could have been separated soon after the second new ball was taken, as another one that bounced a bit extra from Anthaf took Khaleel's outside edge. Wicketkeeper N Surendran and first slip Amit Verma both went for it, got in each other's way and grassed it. Khaleel, who was batting on 28 at the time, will hope to make them pay on Monday.