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Nayar’s knock lifts Mumbai

G. Viswanath

— Photo: Vivek Bendre

CENTURY-MAKER: Mumbai’s Abhishek Nayar lofts Mithun Manhas for a six during his unbeaten hundred against Delhi.

Mumbai: The showdown between the old foes of the National cricket championship subsided in a matter of time at the Brabourne Stadium on Sunday.

For all the excitement caused by Ishant Sharma’s splendid fast bowling in two bursts in the crucial first session of the Ranji Trophy semifinal, Delhi faced the grim reality of a remarkable riposte by the home team.

Chief architects

The chief architects of Mumbai’s remarkable recovery were left-handers Abhishek Nayar (batting 111, 154b, 8x4, 3x6), Omkar Khanvilkar (70, 145b, 8x4) and Ajit Agarkar (batting 57, 84b, 9x4).

Choked for runs in the first two-and-a-half hours and with its captain Wasim Jaffer, Sahil Kukreja and Ajinkya Rahane back in the dressing room by lunch, Mumbai posted 329 for the loss of four wickets at stumps on the opening day.

The absence of experienced spinners — Delhi chose left-arm spinner Vikas Mishra ahead of leg-spinner Chaitanya Nanda — affected Delhi from making adequate use of the Brabourne surface that provided lift and carry right through the day.

It was the nature of wicket and Delhi’s new-ball attack that kept the Mumbai top order on its toes and caused their dismissal.

Setting up Jaffer with a few short balls and a bouncer, Ishant provided the breakthrough tempting the Mumbai skipper to play across to a fuller length delivery.

Jaffer was trapped in front. Thereafter summoned for his second spell, Ishant knocked back Rahane’s off stump, once again inviting the right-hander to work the ball on the on side.

Whereas left-arm seamer Pradeep Sangwan struggled to sustain the pressure — he was penalised nine times for overstepping the popping crease, Parwinder Awana generated pace and extra bounce that eventually ended the 83-minute gritty stay of Kukreja.

The teams took lunch at 100 for three with Delhi seemingly in a position to dictate, but Nayar’s three boundary hits off Mishra and Mithun Manhas and a flurry of shots and Khanvilkar’s growing confidence and smart rotation of the strike hinted elements of a strong counter from the fourth wicket pair.

Good partnership

Ishant did not get a third spell before the completion of the hour after lunch, and by then Nayar and Khanvilkar had taken control of the situation keeping the scoreboard moving fast. The pair had added 145 runs off 221 balls when Khanvilkar was adjudged stumped after square umpire S. S. Ravi sought assistance from the third umpire. It was Rajat Bhatia’s off spin that sent back the left-hander. Khanvilkar’s dismissal brought to the middle Ajit Agarkar, a doubtful starter on Saturday.

The fall of Khanvilkar at 231 enthused Delhi, but outstanding stroke-play by Agarkar and the power hitting by Nayar had supplied 98 runs.

The scores:

Mumbai — Ist innings: S. Kukreja c Bisht b Awana 29, W. Jaffer lbw b Ishant Sharma 7, A. Rahane b Ishant Sharma 29, O. Khanvilkar st. Bisht b Bhatia 70, A. Nayar (batting) 111, A. Agarkar (batting) 57, Extras (b-13, lb-3, nb-9, w-1): 26; Total (for four wkts. in 83 overs): 329.

Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-56, 3-86, 4-231.

Delhi bowling: Sangwan 17-4-61-0, Ishant Sharma 16-2-48-2, Awana 16-3-54-1, Mishra 14-3-57-0, Bhatia 8-0-33-1, Manhas 11-0-56-0, Jain 1-0-4-0.

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