Ranji Trophy: M Mohammed's trick helps Tamil Nadu fight back against Madhya Pradesh

DINDIGUL: For the second day in succession, Rajat Patidar (196, 17x4, 1x6) held Madhya Pradesh’s innings together as they finished on 393 in their Ranji Trophy clash against Tamil Nadu at the NPR College Ground on Friday. The visitors’ total would have been a lot more had it not been for medium-pacer M Mohammed’s (4 for 98) maiden hat-trick in first-class cricket that helped TN stage a fightback in the final session of play.
Patidar’s 406-ball effort saw MP flourish in the first two sessions of play and the side was cruising at 359 for 4 when Mohammed triggered their collapse.It was the final delivery of his 24th over when Mohammed took his first wicket. He dismissed Yash Dubey (6, 1x4) — caught behind by Jagadeesan — at the stroke of tea.
Buoyed by the breakthrough, TN came out with more purpose in the last session. In his first ball after tea, Mohammed induced the first false stroke off Patidar’s willow which Jagadeesan lapped up cleanly. As Patidar walked back to the pavilion dejected with his side’s total reading 360 for 6, the hosts and Mohammed sensed an opening for the first time in the contest. And they made the most of it. Mohammed bowled his very next ball a lot faster and pitched it a shade outside off-stump. New man Mihir Hirwani (0) fished for it and presented a sharp catch to substitute fielder J Kousik at gully.
The hat-trick elated the local boy Mohammed. “Once I dismissed Patidar, my confidence level went up because he was batting so well for close to two days. I knew one more wicket will give me my first hat-trick and I tried not to do anything fancy. Getting a hat-trick is always a special moment,” Mohammed said after the day’s play.
Once Mohammed left MP at 360-7, R Ashwin (4 for 85) polished off the tail before TN openers Abhinav Mukund and Murali Vijay played out two uneventful overs.
The day began with rain delaying the start by 75 minutes. Patidar looked undeterred by loss in time and made up for it with some crisp shots on both sides of wicket. In the company of Shubham Sharma (43, 3x4), Patidar added 106 for the fourth wicket that took his side past the 300-run mark. He partnered with Yash for a 42-run stand for the subsequent wicket before the hosts found their bearing.
Scoreboard: MP 1st innings (o/n 214-3): AV Birla c Anirudh b Ashwin 51, A Dane c Aparajith b Mohammed 4, R Patidar c Jagadeesan b Mohammed 196, N Ojha c Indrajith b Vijay Shankar 45, S Sharma c Jagadeesan b Rahil 43, Yash Dubey c Jagadeesan b Mohammed 6, A Sharma n.o. 23, M Hirwani c sub b Mohammed 0, A Khan c Tanwar b Ashwin 1, Ishwar Pandey c Vijay b Ashwin 5, Kuldeep Sen c&b Ashwin 4; Extras (nb4, w2, b8, lb1) 15; Total (all out in 157.4 overs) 393; FoW: 1-9, 2-133, 3-211, 4-317, 5-359, 6-360, 7-360, 8-361, 9-371, 10-393; Bowling: Tanwar 27-9-58-0, Mohammed 30-6-98-4, Ashwin 38.4-5-85-4, Vijay Shankar 24-7-51-1, Rahil 34-5-87-1, Aparajith 4-1-5-0
Tamil Nadu 1st innings: Abhinav batting 0, M Vijay batting 0; (For no loss in 2 overs): 0; Bowling: Ankit 1-1-0-0, Mihir 1-1-0-0