Defending champions Mumbai kicked off the New Year with a fighting performance on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy semi-final against Tamil Nadu at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Khandheri yesterday.
Shardul Thakur
Mumbai pacer Shardul Thakur stretches every sinew against Tamil Nadu in Rajkot yesterday. PIC/RAMESH TANKARIA
Rajkot: Defending champions Mumbai kicked off the New Year with a fighting performance on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy semi-final against Tamil Nadu at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Khandheri yesterday.
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Tamil Nadu ended the day with 261 for six, but they could have been in a better position had it not been for Mumbai pacer Shardul Thakur. At the fag end of the second session, Tamil Nadu were cruising with Kaushik Gandhi and B Indrajith extending their century stand for the third wicket. Indrajith (64), however, succumbed to a catch by Mumbai captain-wicketkeeper Aditya Tare down the leg side courtesy Thakur. Mumbai had their tails well when they snarled two more wickets in the next six overs.
Gandhi departed 10 runs later, after tea. He reached his 50 with a single on the leg side off Abhishek Nayar, but failed to read his reverse swing. Trying to flick it away, he offered an easy catch to Praful Waghela at second slip.
Four down for 188 and one expected a revival from Tamil Nadu. Dinesh Karthik was unfortunately given out leg before wicket when there was an inside edge off Thakur's swinging delivery. Tamil Nadu were now reeling at 202 for five. Indrajith's brother Aparajith played out 28 balls for his nine runs, but left-arm spinner Vijay Gohil sent him back before Vijay Shankar, who came into bat at No. 6 played sensibly by sharing an unbeaten 30-run seventh wicket stand with Aswin Crist (9 not out in 40 balls). Shankar, the Tamil Nadu vice-captain ended the day with 41 with the help of eight fours which included some superb cover drives and a straight drive.
"We were patchy, but at the end of the day, I would say we are in a good position. At the same time, it is important that we bowl them out as soon as possible tomorrow morning," Thakur remarked.
Earlier, on winning the toss, Tamil Nadu skipper Abhinav Mukund decided to open the innings with debutant Ganga Shridhar Raju. The 23-year-old batsman looked confident especially when he swept off-spinner Akshay Girap for a boundary but he failed to tackle Nayar's away going delivery and edged it to wicketkeeper Tare for 19 when his team's total was just 45. Skipper Tare replaced Nayar from the pavilion end with Balwinder Singh Sandhu (Jr), who induced an edge from Mukund (38) for Tare to take a splendid diving catch – his 200th dismissal behind the sticks.
Tamil Nadu bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji is confident his side can post a challenging first innings score which could deflate Mumbai. "The last two and a half hours changed the course a little bit. But, it's a five-day game. Whatever takes place from here, is going to be a plus for us and we have batsmen who can bat," said the former India seamer.
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