Kerala’s young cricketers made history by on Thursday morning at the Wayanad Cricket Stadium by entering semi for the first time in history.

The State had started playing in India’s premier domestic tourney since 1957-58. The six-decade old wait came to an end when P. Rahul ran a few yards back from his position at point to take a wonderful catch. That was the last wicket of Gujarat as Kerala won by 113 runs, with two days and a half to spare.

Fittingly, that wicket was taken by Sandeep Warrier, Kerala’s leading bowler in the competition. When Arzan Nagwaswalla’s attempt to hit his shot-pitched ball over cover ended up in Rahul’s hands, it became his 39th wicket for the season.

The swing bowler finished the match with eight for 72 but he wasn’t the only Kerala to take eight wickets.

His new-ball partner Basil Thampi claimed five for the innings — for the first time in what is 27th First Class game — to register the match figures of eight for 88. He was also was named Man-of-the-Match (he had top-scored with 37 in Kerala’s first innings with some lusty blows down the order).

Together, the Kerala pace twin has got 72 from nine matches in this tournament. The visitors, who started their second innings on Thursday morning chasing 195, didn't do well.

It all began with Thampi uprooting Kathan Patel with a ball that came sharply in. Five balls later, he caught Gujarat's Priyank Panchal lbw.

Now, the 2017 champion’s hopes rested mainly on skipper Parthiv Patel, but in the very next over, he was run out by a brilliant piece of fielding from his counterpart, Sachin Baby, who came up with a direct hit from mid-on.

The wickets continued to fall regularly. Rahul Shah was unbeaten on 37 when the end came and thus Kerala felled the third former champion this season.

In the semifinal, it will confront the winner of the Vidarbha-Uttarakhand match.

Kerala – 1st Innings: 185

Gujarat – 1st Innings: 162

Kerala – 2nd Innings: 171