Mumbai stumble on first day of their Ranji Trophy landmark tie as Baroda bowl them out for 171 on Wankhede green top
Mumbai stumble on first day of their Ranji Trophy landmark tie as Baroda bowl them out for 171 on Wankhede green top
The opening day of Mumbai's 500th Ranji Trophy match was not quite memorable for the hosts as Baroda completely dominated the proceedings during their Group C encounter at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday. Put into bat, Mumbai were bowled out for 171 at the stroke of tea, thanks to five wickets apiece by Baroda's medium pacers Atit Sheth and Lukman Meriwala. The visitors were 63 for one at stumps on Day One with Aditya Waghmode on 15 and Vishnu Solanki on 32. Mumbai's famed batting collapsed as they lost their top five batsmen before lunch. Only tailenders Dhawal Kulkarni (17) and Vijay Gohil (16) showed a bit of resistance as they put up a 40-run stand for the ninth wicket. Baroda skipper Deepak Hooda and coach Atul Bedade, who has played a lot of his cricket at the Wankhede, read the wicket correctly and asked the hosts to bat on a bowler-friendly wicket.
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A disappointed Abhishek Nayar walks back after scoring just 10 v Baroda yesterday. Pics/Suresh Karkera
Mumbai's prolific opener Prithvi Shaw had a disappointing outing on his 18th birthday. He was back in the dressing room without opening his account. The teenage sensation completely missed the in-swinger from Sheth that disturbed Shaw's furniture. Sheth managed to get another big victim after compelling Test batsman Ajinkya Rahane (0) to nick one to skipper Hooda at first slip. Left-arm pacer Meriwala claimed the wicket of Shreyas Iyer, who joined the Mumbai team on the morning of the match after making his India debut during the recent T20I series against NZ. He edged to Swapnil Singh on 28.
Baroda's Lukman Meriwala (left) and Atit Sheth dismantled Mumbai
Mumbai skipper Aditya Tare was the only batsman who showed intention to stay on the wicket during his gritty 82-ball 50. Tare's resistance, however, ended seven minutes before lunch as Sheth claimed his third wicket of the first session. Sheth cherished the wickets of Shaw and Rahane. "Prithvi and Rahane's wickets were very special. I had aimed and planned well to take their wickets," Sheth said after his five for 50 in 19 overs. "Since Mumbai batsmen like to attack, my plan was to not give them any width and bowl fuller. The green tinge on the wicket also helped," added Sheth, who started playing at 12 in Kiran More's academy and went on to represent India U-19. Meriwala, who claimed his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket, said he had analysed Mumbai's batsmen. "I understood what shots Mumbai batsmen like to play on a particular ball. I bowled according to my plan and got the desired result," said Meriwala.
Mumbai's Royston Dias would have been rewarded straightaway had Iyer, standing at third slip, not dropped Baroda opener Waghmode when he was on seven. Dias, however, struck in his next over as he managed to get Noor Ahmed Pathan (14) to nick one to wicketkeeper Tare.
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