Nagpur, Feb 28 (Reporter) Vidarbha gained a crucial first-innings lead of 37 runs against Kerala at stumps on Day 3 of the Ranji Trophy final here on Friday. Kerala, despite a promising start, faltered in the final session, finishing at 342 in response to Vidarbha’s 379. Captain Sachin Baby played a resilient 98-run knock, keeping Kerala’s hopes alive, but his dismissal marked a turning point. Until then, he had rotated the strike effectively and found boundaries at regular intervals. However, an attempt to accelerate his scoring resulted in his downfall, allowing Vidarbha to regain control. The run flow was stifled post his dismissal, leading to a flurry of wickets. Vidarbha's spin duo delivered a disciplined performance, with left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey proving instrumental, bagging three wickets for 88 runs. Dubey, who has been in stellar form this season, took his tally to 69 wickets— the highest by any bowler in this Ranji season. Darshan Nalkande (3/52) also played a crucial role, scalping three wickets to break Kerala’s resistance. Earlier in the day, at the tea interval, Kerala were 298/6, with the match hanging in balance. Aditya Sarwate had earlier contributed a vital 79 for Vidarbha before falling to Dubey. With a lead in hand, Vidarbha now hold the upper hand and will look to consolidate their position on Day 4. Kerala, on the other hand, face an uphill task - they must bowl out Vidarbha cheaply and chase the target to keep their dream of a maiden Ranji Trophy title alive. The action resumes at 9:30 am IST on Saturday...////...