In his aspect: Raghuvanshi’s half-century set the tone for Mumbai’s victory.
| Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN
Mumbai recorded its second straight victory in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, beating Kerala by eight wickets in a rain-curtailed encounter on the Alur Cricket Stadium right here on Saturday.
After being requested to bat, Kerala, using on Sachin Baby’s century (104, 134b, 8×4, 2×6), set a goal of 232. But the mark shrunk twice as heavens opened, first to 206 from 42 overs following a 30-minute rain delay after which to 159 from 30 overs after a 65-minute break.
Sachin Baby of Kerala in motion towards Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare match at Alur.
| Photo Credit:
SUDHAKARA JAIN
Mumbai, although, remained unperturbed, scoring at a brisk fee from the get-go, remaining firmly forward in the VJD Method calculations.
Opener Angkrish Raghuvanshi scored a tone-setting half-century (57, 47b, 5×4, 3×6), replete with elegant drives and daring pulls.
Playing simply his second List A match, the 18-year-old was fearless in his method and it was becoming that he received to his maiden fifty with a slashed six over level off speedster Basil Thampi. When he holed out to mid-wicket off Thampi, the job was solely half carried out. But his skipper Ajinkya Rahane completed it, scoring a 20-ball 34 that was studded with 4 sixes.
Kerala tried to bounce him out with a number of catching males on the leg-side. But the seasoned Rahane cleared the sq. fence twice, clipped one over mid-wicket earlier than ushering the top with a slapped most off leggie Shreyas Gopal.
Earlier, Kerala was rescued by a 126-run partnership for the third wicket between Sanju Samson (55, 83b, 4×4, 2×6) and Baby. Run-making appeared troublesome, with even the normally free-scoring Samson circumspect.
Baby performed a gentle innings, nudging and steering his method by way of to his fourth List A ton. The 34-year-old’s finest photographs have been his two sixes — the heave over long-on off Tushar Deshpande and the hook over deep backward sq. leg off Royston Dias.
But even his finest couldn’t save the day for Kerala as pacer Mohit Avasthi completed with a four-wicket haul (4/28).
