A fine spell of bowling by spinner Nikhil Chopra (3-24) and some inept batting by the hosts helped Uttar Pradesh register a 90-run win over Kerala in the Elite group 'A' Ranji Trophy match at the Fort Maidan.
Requiring 191 runs for an outright win, Kerala squandered the opportunity with some poor shot selection to be bundled out for 132 runs, 17 minutes after lunch.
The loss also saw Kerala, who finished last in the eight-team group 'A' with only 2 points, being relegated to the Plate division.
Resuming the fourth and final day at 32 for one, Kerala lost wickets at regular intervals and were in dire straits at lunch with the score reading 121 for 6.
Only overnight batsman C M Deepak (30) and middle order player Ajay Kuduva (25) offered some resistance.
Resuming after lunch, Kerala lost the remaining 4 wickets for the addition of only 11 runs in 17 minutes. Chopra, who had captured 4-69 in the first innings, captured 3-24 in 27 overs of which 16 were maidens in the second innings.
UP, who gained 4 points here, increased their tally to 13 points.
