Bhubaneswar: Mumbai scripted their first win of the season when they defeated hosts Orissa by 120 runs in their Group C Ranji Trophy encounter at the KIIT Stadium here Saturday.
Everyone expected, Mumbai to roll over Orissa, more so after the batting debacle, the hosts had suffered in the first innings. However, for once the Orissa batsmen made the Mumbai bowlers work hard for their wickets. They say that fortune favours the brave and Mumbai were definitely lucky to get the first two wickets of the day.
Orissa skipper Govind Poddar (87, 123b, 13×4), who had looked at total ease against the Mumbai attack, was unlucky to be bowled off the inside edge trying to cut an Abhishek Nayar (2/35) delivery. His partner Shantanu Mishra (49, 99b, 8×4) also saw his intended cut shot off a Akash Parker (delivery) fly off the boot of Mumbai ‘keeper Aditya Tare to Suryakumar Yadav at gully. It was indeed a sad end as Shantanu had looked set for his maiden first class half century and a few more runs.
Govind and Shantanu put on 90 runs for the fifth wicket to give a semblance of respectability to the Orissa scoreboard after they had resumed at their overnight score of 93 for four. Both played the waiting game, defending the good deliveries, but ever alert to put the bad ones away to the fence.
Biplab Samantray (31, 93b, 4×4) resumed from where he had left of in the first innings. However, once struck on right elbow from a Dhawal Kulkarni delivery that rose sharply, he never looked his usual confident self. Nayar, who bowls military medium ended Biplab’s resistance with one that nipped back off the seam to rattle the stumps.
Both Sourabh Rawat (29, 64b, 3×4) and Suryakant Pradhan (32, 21b, 1×4, 3×6) tried their best to take the battle to the opposition albeit in a different manner. Rawat looked good during his tenure, but then he will have to get rid of his tendency to go for the hook shot. Good bowlers will certainly work him out.
Suryakant attacked from the word go and was particularly severe on left-arm spinner Vijay Gohil (1/63) whom he hit for two sixes in one over. But then was always fighting against a losing cause.
Skippers term Lad’s ton ‘game-changer’
Siddhesh Lad’s innings was the turning point of the game, said Orissa skipper Govind Poddar here Saturday after his team lost to Mumbai. In their second innings, Lad resurrected the Mumbai innings with a wonderful hundred after they were reduced to 85 for six.
“His innings was the turning point I would say. We were fighting back, but his knock took the game away from us,” Govind said after the game. “It was admirable the way he shielded the tail-enders.,”
Speaking on the match, Govind said, “We are in good position when me and Shantanu (Mishra) were at the crease. But we got out in quick succession which put immense pressure on the lower-order.”
The skipper heaped praise on debutant Shantanu who played well in both the innings, despite missing out on his maiden half century in the second innings. “He batted very well. In the first innings when we were two for four, he showed great maturity. And even in the second innings, he batted well,” stated Govind.
However, Shantanu was not satisfied with his show. “To be frank, I’m not happy I had chances, but couldn’t convert those into big scores,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Mumbai skipper Aditya Tare was happy with the result. “The entire team played well. Siddhesh’s knock was the game-changer and the bowlers bowled well on the final day as the pitch was easy to bat on and there was nothing for the bowlers. Overall it was a well-deserved win,” stated a delighted Tare.
Brief scores
Mumbai 289 & 268/9 decl beat Orissa 145 & 292 (Govind Poddar 87, Shantanu Mishra 49; Akash Parkar 3/40) by 120 runs. Mumbai six points, Orissa zero.
Other Group C matches:
(At Vadodara): Baroda 521 & 85/6 (Abhijit Sarkar 5/18); Tripura 436. Match drawn. Baroda three points, Tripura one.
(At Vizianagaram): Madhya Pradesh 321 & 119 (Devendra Bundela 38; Bandaru Ayyappa 5/34) lost to Andhra Pradesh 376 & 65/2 (Hanuma Vihari 28 n o) by eight wickets. AP six points, MP )
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