Crucial knock: Avasthi’s innings helped his workforce to a wholesome complete.
| Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI
On a placid pitch that has had nothing to supply the bowlers, Mumbai’s bowlers gave their workforce an higher hand – primarily due to their batting efforts – halfway by its Ranji Trophy Group-B tie towards Andhra.
All-rounders Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian noticed off the early moisture earlier than falling in Nithish Kumar Reddy’s successive overs, which accomplished a deserving five-wicket haul for the pacer. On the cusp of the first hour mark, when Andhra had Mumbai at 316 for eight, its batters would have began visualising strokes.
But Mohit Avasthi (53, 130b, 172m, 9×4, 1×6) and Dhawal Kulkarni annoyed a drained Andhra bowling lot with a 98-run affiliation that ensured Mumbai for a majority of the second day. After serving to Mumbai end its first essay at 395, the bowlers got here to celebration in the final session, leaving Andhra in a spot of trouble at stumps.
Crucial strikes
Left-arm pacer Royston Dias broke the opening partnership by getting opener C.R. Gnaneshwar caught behind. Mulani’s left-arm spin then did the trick twice, together with the key wicket of Hanuma Vihari as Andhra ended Day Two at 98 for 3. The onus shall be on opener D.B. Prashant Kumar, who notched up a nonchalant fifty, and captain Ricky Bhui to bail Andhra out of bother on the third day.
The day, nevertheless, belonged to Avasthi and Kotian (54, 106b, 8×4) who starred with the bat. On a uninteresting day that noticed solely 212 runs having been scored, the duo put Mumbai into ascendancy. While Kotian continued along with his in a single day breezy knock earlier than perishing in the slip cordon moments after his 91-run stand with Mulani had been damaged.
Avasthi together with veteran Kulkarni then took the fizz out of a hapless Andhra assault by blocking the ball for 168 minutes. With Ok.V. Sasikanth having been dominated out of the recreation, Andhra was a bowler quick. And below a scorching run, the bowlers had to watch for a mistake.
Unlike Mumbai’s high order, the duo didn’t play a false quick. Avasthi additionally took a few blows on his bowling palm however stood his floor to grind his method to a fifty.
The scores:
Mumbai —1st innings: Jay Bista c sub (Hebbar) b Nithish 39, Bhupen Lalwani b Lalith 61, Ajinkya Rahane lbw b Nithish 0, Suved Parkar lbw b Shoaib 41, Shreyas Iyer c Girinath b Nithish 48, Prasad Pawar c Girinath b Shoaib 15, Shams Mulani c Vihari b Nithish 38, Tanush Kotian c Prasanth b Nithish 54, Mohit Avasthi c Gnaneshwar b Lalith 53, Dhawal Kulkarni (not out) 24, Royston Dias lbw b Rasheed 0; Extras (b-9, lb-7, nb-2, w-4): 22; Total (in 137.2 overs): 395
Fall of wickets: 1-69, 2-69, 3-130, 4-192, 5-204, 6-224, 7-315, 8-316, 9-394.
Andhra bowling: Sasikanth 13.5-3-40-0, Raju 32.3-10-104-0, Lalith Mohan 43-7-89-2, Nithish 24.4-4-64-5, Shoaib 20-1-71-2, Rasheed 3.2-0-11-1.
Andhra —1st innings: C.R. Gnaneshwar c Mulani b Dias 23, D.B. Prashanth Kumar (batting) 59, Shaik Rasheed lbw b Mulani 3, Hanuma Vihari lbw b Mulani 6, Ricky Bhui (batting) 4; Extras (b-2, nb-1) 3; Total (for 3 wkts. in 37 overs): 98.
Fall of wickets: 1-57, 2-60, 3-82.
Mumbai bowling: Kulkarni 7-3-17-0, Avasthi 9-3-20-0, Mulani 12-0-35-2, Dias 7-2-15-1, Kotian 2-0-9-0.
