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Sloppy show sees advantage slip away from Mumbai
NEW DELHI: Dropped catches, poor planning coupled with an inconsistent line and length meant Mumbai conceded 321 runs against Baroda in their second innings on Day
NEW DELHI: Dropped catches, poor planning coupled with an inconsistent line and length meant Mumbai conceded 321 runs against Baroda in their second innings on Day Three.
Baroda rode on the opening partnership of 177 runs between Kedar Devdhar (145) and Aditya Waghmore (66) to take a lead of 303 runs with a day’s play to go. Deepak Hooda built on the start with a quickfire unbeaten knock of 66 in the final session to help Baroda reach a total from where they can make a match of it.
Earlier in the day, Mumbai, who had taken an 18-run first innings lead, looked average on the field.
The new ball bowlers, Shardul Thakur and Balwinder Sandhu, were wasteful, faltering in their lines to leak runs. Devdhar and Waghmode scored off them at will. Devdhar was the dominant one and at lunch, Baroda had cruised to 95 in just 27 overs.
Mumbai’s ploy to save runs by opening the field did not work as well. Captain Aditya Tare’s plan was clear: by putting the point and square-leg fielder on the ropes he wanted to bring the slip cordon into action. The bowlers were asked to force Devdhar and Waghmode to go for the cut shots.
Sandhu was more effective with the semi-new ball as he pitched it in the corridor and kept things tight. From the other end, spinner Vijay Gohil was a major let-down as he bowled short allowing the batsmen to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Devdhar’s knock had 63 singles, 9 two-threes and 16 fours.
Another reason why the Mumbai pacers were ineffective at Palam was the placid wicket. The ball didn’t offer much turn, giving the batsmen the licence to jump out to Gohil and collect runs.
PANT SLAMS TON
Meanwhile, at the Wankhede Stadium, Rishabh Pant struck his second first-class ton (155*) in his fourth game, to keep Delhi in the hunt against Maharashtra.
Pant, who kept wickets for Delhi for almost two days during Maharashtra’s massive first innings total of 635 for 2 declared, came in to bat when his side was in trouble at 135 for 3 and remained unconquered in a close of play tally of 376 for 5.
For Maharashtra, Sayyed returned with good end of day figures of 3/73, which included captain Unmukt Chand for 24.
