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Cricket PlayersRanji Trophy: Siddhesh Lad guides Mumbai after Rohit Dhanda’s strikes
The Mumbai skipper (80*) helped the team reach 249/5 at stumps on Day 1 of the Group D Ranji Trophy tie
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Mumbai: Skipper Siddhesh Lad struck a fine unbeaten 80 (176b, 8x4) and young Musheer Khan made a patient 65 to help Mumbai reach 249/5 at stumps on Day 1 of their Group D Ranji Trophy game against Chandigarh at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
A spirited Chandigarh, led by pacer Rohit Dhanda (3/44), made the batters work hard for their runs on the first day of the season.
Mumbai, asked to bat by Chandigarh skipper Manan Vohra, were in a spot of bother at 184/5 before Shams Mulani scored a brisk 27* and added 65 runs in 98 balls with Lad for the unfinished sixth wicket partnership.
In batting, a positive intent is important. On a Day 1 pitch, the team batting first is expected to make merry and set the tone for the four-day contest.
Playing at their home ground, Mumbai’s top order struggled to put the Chandigarh attack under pressure by adopting a surprisingly cautious approach.
Teams adopt a proactive approach to disrupt the bowlers’ rhythm. If you allow them to settle down, the bowlers grow in confidence and become difficult to handle.
It is what happened with the Mumbai line-up after their Test opener Yashasvi Jaiswal fell for a duck, caught off pacer Jagjit Singh, off the 14th ball he faced.
The rest of the top order, young Ayush Mhatre (48 - 82b), Musheer Khan (65- 149b) and Lad spent considerable time at the crease but could not take charge.
Allowed to work out his plan, pacer Dhanda struck at regular intervals to help Chandigarh share the day’s honours. Dhanda had the prized scalps of Mhatre, Musheer and Sarfaraz, who fell for one run.
Mhatre and Musheer added 77 runs for the second wicket in 26.5 overs before the former was bowled by Dhanda with an incoming ball. Musheer, who completed his fifty off 117 balls, shared a 65-run partnership with Lad off 165 balls. Dhanda, however, struck a double blow to help Chandigarh get back into the game.
He first ended Musheer’s long vigil by inducing an edge to wicketkeeper Akshit Rana. In his next over, he trapped Test batter Sarfaraz Khan leg before wicket after he shouldered arms to an in-dipper.
At tea, Mumbai were 154/4 in 57 overs.
After the interval, keeper-batter Akash Anand hit Raj Bawa for three fours in an over to release some pressure. However, his cameo was cut short by left-arm spinner Nishunk Birla, who got him to edge to Arslan Khan at slip.
Mulani came and went for his shots, hitting the second six of the innings to provide impetus to the innings.
