The Hindu : Mumbai tightens grip

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 16, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Mumbai tightens grip

By Our Special Correspondent

Mumbai's Vinayak Mane drives Hyderabad's N.P. Singh. Non-striker Vinod Kambli is also seen.

MUMBAI, MARCH 15. Vinayak Mane scored his maiden century in Ranji trophy and Vinod Kambli mixed caution and aggression to carve his third hundred of the season, as Mumbai tightened its grip on the second day of its semifinal against Hyderabad at the Wankhede stadium here on Monday. The right-left combination made merry in realising 183 runs for the second wicket and was in the main responsible for Mumbai's 389 for three — in front by 223 runs on the first innings with seven wickets in hand and Amol Muzumdar unbeaten on 42.

The discerning — the umpires, a faithful few in the stands, the reserve players, coaches and managers in the Vijay Manjrekar dressing rooms; two national selectors and the media — would be justified in assuming Mumbai is well on course to a berth in the National Championship final, for Hyderabad's performance has been below par if not lacklustre.

Mumbai and Hyderabad have been traditional rivals. They had met 10 times before Sairaj Bahutule and Venkatapathy Raju went out for the toss on Sunday, the leg-spinner keen to improve on the 10-0 record and the left-arm spinner out to right the ledger when all his predecessors had failed. But as it transpired in the first hour on the opening day — positive for Mumbai and disappointing for Hyderabad — the situation did not arise for Bahutule to claim the second new ball. While the host skipper was sitting pretty well before tea interval, his opposite number was left to rue another lost opportunity on a brown pitch. And if the first day was bad for the visitors, the second day had more agony in store.

Piling up runs at over three an over in every session, Mumbai dominated the Hyderabad bowling that lacked both variety and skill. Its best bet was Raju. The wily left-arm spinner, struck the first blow in his 12th over, 17 minutes into play, when he looked the artful bowler, but he had to wait for over five hours for his next wicket.

Wasim Jaffer looked at umpire Jasbir Singh a little surprised when given out, caught at first slip. He and Mane had raised 105 for the first wicket, their first three figure start in the first innings in two seasons. But Hyderabad's hopes of making further inroads evaporated when Kambli (100, 219m, 170b, 12x4, 2x6) hit a four off Raju and thrashed offie Shivaji Yadav straight down the ground for four boundaries and a six, all in his first twenty minutes in the middle. Thereafter he played a responsible innings that took him to an even century before he mistimed a cut and gloved to slip.

Mane's knock (154, 453m, 336b, 17x4) was watchful and purposeful. He allowed Kambli to dominate and reached his century in a shade under five hours. He moved from 100 to 150 in 144 minutes and 94 balls. Most of his fours were hit in front of the wicket. The one that stood out was after Hyderabad claimed the second new ball after 99 overs, when Mane stood on his toes and punched Vishnuvardhan to the point fence.

Hyderabad is on the mat literally and with Muzumdar looking good, the writing is on the wall for the visitors.

Hyderabad — 1st innings: 166

Mumbai — 1st innings: V. Mane c S. Yadav b Raju 154, W. Jaffer c Manohar b Raju 37, V. Kambli c Manohar b S. Yadav 100, A. Muzumdar (batting) 42, B. Thakkar (batting) 20; Extras (b- 10, lb-7, nb-17, w-2) 36; Total (for 3 wkts.) 389.

Fall of wickets: 1-105, 2-288, 3-352.

Hyderabad bowling: N. P. Singh 13-2-64-0, Vishnuvardhan 15-2-42-0, Faiz Ahmed 8-1-31-0, V. Raju 42-10-97-2, Shivaji Yadav 38-5-119-1, A.T. Rayudu 3-0-12-0, A. Singh 2-0-7-0.

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