Saurashtra leave Mumbai teetering
Rajkot, Feb. 4: Saurashtra left arm spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja snared five wickets to leave Mumbai teetering at 249 for eight on the opening day of their Elite Group B Ranji Trophy game here on Tuesday.
Had Sarfaraz Khan yet again not rescued Mumbai after they suffered a toporder collapse with his 78, the 41-time Ranji champions would have been in more trouble in what is a must-win game for them. Jadeja rattled their toporder and among his wickets were Jay Bista, Bhupen Lalwani, Siddesh Lad and rival skipper Aditya Tare.
Opting to bat at the SCA Stadium in Khandheri, Mumbai openers Bista and Lalwani failed to convert their starts. The duo put up 62 for the first wicket before Bista was trapped in front by Jadeja.
Senior-pro Suryakumar Yadav fell for a first-ball duck after being trapped in front of the wicket by Prerak Mankad as Mumbai were in spot of bother at 63 for two. Soon it became 74 for three after Jadeja removed Lalwani, who gave a sitter at mid-off.
Crisis man Siddhesh Lad had on several occasions in the past took his team out of rubble, but failed to do it on Tuesday. He became Jadeja’s third victim after the left arm spinner trapped him in front of the wicket to leave the visitors tottering at 88 for four.
Then Sarfaraz and allrounder Shams Mulani steadied the ship with their 109-run stand for the fifth wicket. They ensured that the domestic giants took lunch and tea without losing any further wickets.
Sarfaraz, who took his team out of trouble in the last two matches, again played a matured and responsible knock. However, after doing all the hard work, he fell on 78 after being cleaned up by Kamlesh Makwana.
Sarfaraz’s unbeaten run thus ended in first-class cricket after amassing 605 runs from three innings. Aditya Tare was dismissed cheaply as he became Jadeja’s fourth victim. Mulani held one end as wickets fell and completed his fourth fifty after tapping Jadeja for a single. KUNWAR, HIMMAT TAKE DELHI TO 270
Allrounder Kunwar Bidhuri and the talented Himmat Singh struck fighting half-centuries to rescue Delhi from a precarious position as the hosts reached 270 for 6 against Gujarat at New Delhi on the first day of their Ranji Trophy group A encounter.
Delhi at one stage were staring down the barrel at
136 for 5 with only opener Hiten Dalal looking comfortable against the Gujarat attack. However, Himmat, who made a comeback into the senior side along with Kunwar rescued Delhi with a 134run sixth wicket stand. Pacer Arzan Nagaswalla was the pick of the Gujarat bowlers while seasoned Axar Patel did the most important job of dismissing Himmat off the last ball of the day.
The right-hander, who showed tremendous patience during his 153ball stay went for a drive but the edge landed in Rujul Bhatt’s hands in the slip cordon. This was after he had hit eight fours and a six during his knock.
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