MUMBAI: Skipper Hardik Tamore appeared to be rather surprised, than disappointed when umpires called it a day on Day One of Mumbai's semi-final encounter being played for the Col
CK Nayudu Trophy
against
Vidarbha
at the
Wankhede Stadium
on Monday.
For, Tamore and the team's think-tank went in with three spinners and opted to bat on a green top after winning the toss. Though it was a risk, the hosts hoped that the wicket would settle down after the first half an hour or so. Unfortunately for Mumbai, though, the Vidarbha bowlers got more than a giant's share of the bargain from the wicket and skittled Mumbai out for a paltry 94 in 36.2 overs. It is a different matter that their batsmen pretty much negated the good work done by their seam bowlers early in the day and lost six wickets while scoring 111 when play was called off. Though the visitors have a slender lead of 17 runs and they still have four wickets in hand, the manner in which things unfolded on the first day, the match is wide open. And, as Tamore pointed out post-match, the outcome of the match will not be decided on the basis of a first innings lead.
Settings were just too good for Vidarbha bowlers, spearheaded by the towering Nachiket Bhute. But kudos to the youngsters, they did not get carried away by the overwhelming conditions. What they did instead was bowled an extremely disciplined line. They hit the right areas and by the time the third over finished, Vidarbha had sent back Tamore back to the pavilion. Aman Khan (2), Suved Parker (3), Agni Chopra (12) and Chinamy Sutar (4) fell in quick succession and Mumbai were reduced to 32/5 in 18.4 overs.
Sarfaraz Khan, who has had an exceptional Ranji Trophy season, top-scored for Mumbai with 40. Had it not been Khan's knock, Mumbai would have struggled to even get to 94 which they eventually managed.
For Vidarbha, Bhute had figures of 4-26 off 14 overs. He was ably supported by Aditya Thakarey (3-3-13 and Dushyant Tekan (3-37).
In reply though, Vidarbha batsmen made a mess of things. They were reduced to 2-11 inside five overs.
Arjun Tendulkar
first trapped opener SV Thubrikar in front of the stumps for 5 and then had Nayan Chavan lbw for 4. Minad Manjrekar, who later walked out of the field limping due to a twisted ankle, picked up three important Vidarbha wickets to reduce the side to 111/6 in 39 overs.
"I guess we misread the wicket big time. We knew the ball does move around in the first hour or so, but today it moved longer than we expected. But I must say the Vidarbha bowlers bowled extremely well. They bowled a very stifling line," Mumbai skipper Tamore said later.
While he admitted that it was one bad day at work for the batsmen, he was all praise in the manner the bowlers responded. "We did extremely well to pick up six wickets. Now we will aim to dismiss them as quickly as possible and then hope that we get a few big individual scores. But one thing I can assure you is that the match will go the distance. It will not be decided on the basis of the first innings lead.
Bhute, who was the most impressive performer on day when 16 wickets fell, said that Vidarbha did well to restrict Mumbai but also admitted that his team had lost a couple of extra wickets. "We did really well as a bowling unit. We made most of the conditions in the morning and bowled a really disciplined line. But I think we have lost a couple of wickets more, which should not have been the case. 111/2 or three perhaps would have been an ideal score," he said.
Brief scores: Mumbai 94 all out (Sarfaraz Khan 40; Nachiket Bhute 4-26, Dushyant Tekan 3-37, Akshay Thakarey 3-13) vs Vidarbha 111/6 (PM Parnate 37; Minad Manjrekar 3-23, Arjun Tendulkar 2-29)