Masterclass: The bowlers put Mumbai in command with an outstanding effort.
| Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI
It could also be perceived as a boring day of a high-intensity recreation with solely 215 runs scored in 75.3 overs for the lack of 9 wickets. But, the way wherein just one aspect dominated all through the day meant Mumbai had laid one hand on its forty second Ranji Trophy title.
Riding on an all-round efficiency — dominated by the spin twins Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian together with swansong man Dhawal Kulkarni — Mumbai bundled Vidarbha out for a paltry 105 in its first essay.
Captain Ajinkya Rahane then mixed with promising batter Musheer Khan in an unbroken partnership of 107 runs for the third wicket to assist Mumbai take a firm grip on the match.
At the top of the second day’s proceedings on the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai had an enviable benefit of 260 runs, with eight wickets remaining. The method wherein Rahane, going by way of the leanest patch of his profession proper by way of the season, and Musheer laid the anchor, it nearly pressured the Vidarbha bowlers to close store and wait for a mistake.
Vidarbha was depleted with its major spinner Aditya Sarvate struggling again spasms. Even although he bowled a spell within the final session, Sarvate was removed from being at his finest.
Musheer use of the crease towards pacers and spinners alike was a spotlight. Rahane grew in confidence because the afternoon progressed, incomes a standing ovation from former India captain Sunil Gavaskar who watched the latter half of the day’s play from the president’s gallery.
In the morning, Mumbai needed to sustain the stress after the pacers had Vidarbha in a spot of trouble at 31 for three. It took Kulkarni solely 28 balls to earn the prize scalp of southpaw Atharva Taide, who poked at one which moved away from him.
Overnight batter Aditya Thakare hung round together with in-form Yash Thakur for the subsequent hour, with Thakare being lucky to have been dropped at silly-point by Bhupen Lalwani.
However, Mulani struck off successive balls to eliminate Thakare (lbw off a straighter one) and captain Akshay Wadkar (edging to the keeper). That triggered a collapse as Vidarbha misplaced its final six wickets for simply 26 runs.
The scores:
Mumbai — 1st innings: 224 in 64.3 overs.
Vidarbha — 1st innings: Atharva Taide c Tamore b Kulkarni 23, Dhruv Shorey lbw b Shardul 0, Aman Mokhade c Tamore b Kulkarni 8, Karun Nair c Tamore b Kulkarni 0, Aditya Thakare lbw b Mulani 19, Yash Rathod b Kotian 27, Akshay Wadkar c Tamore b Mulani 5, Harsh Dubey c Lalwani b Mulani 1, Yash Thakur c Deshpande b Kotian 16, Umesh Yadav c Deshpande b Kotian 2, Aditya Sarvate (not out) 0; Extras (nb-4); 4; Total (in 45.3 overs): 105.
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-20, 3-24, 4-39, 5-79, 6-85, 7-87, 8-97, 9-104.
Mumbai bowling: Shardul 9-0-22-1, Kulkarni 11-5-15-3, Deshpande 9-0-29-0, Mulani 12-0-32-3, Kotian 4.3-1-7-3.
Mumbai — 2nd innings: Prithvi Shaw b Yash Thakur 11, Bhupen Lalwani c sub (Kale) b Dubey 18, Musheer Khan (batting) 51, Ajinkya Rahane (batting) 58; Extras (lb-3): 3; Total (for two wkts. in 50 overs): 141.
Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-34.
Vidarbha bowling: Yash Thakur 10-2-25-1, Dubey 17-2-46-1, Umesh 9-1-17-0, Thakare 6-2-11-0, Sarvate 7-0-35-0, Karun 1-0-4-0.