Even a five-day match can at times turn on its head in a solitary over. The same was on display at the Vidarbha Cricket Association stadium here on Tuesday when a rookie spinner put Vidarbha in the ascendancy against Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy semifinal.
In a small window of 12 minutes at the fag end of day two, Vidarbha struck four blows in 11 balls to peg Mumbai on the backfoot.
Parth Rekhade, the left-arm spinner playing only his second First Class match, was the wrecker-in-chief as he scalped three international batters – including two international captains – to tilt the game in Vidarbha’s favour.
Riding on Rekhade’s efforts – supported by Yash Thakur who struck twice at critical junctures and Harsh Dubey who earned his 60th wicket of the season – Mumbai was in trouble at 188 for seven, in quest of Vidarbha’s 383 in the first essay.
Having dismissed Vidarbha 40 minutes before lunch with the host adding 75 runs to its overnight total, Mumbai lost opener Ayush Mhatre (lofted drive to covers) before the break. Siddhesh Lad then almost batted out the second session before his middle stump was pegged back by Yash.
Half an hour into the third session came the over of the day. Rahane – who had survived a close call after Yash got him trapped in front off a no-ball – defended deep into the crease and the revs resulting in the ball rolling onto the stumps after bouncing below his bat.
The third ball of the over saw Suryakumar Yadav’s bat-pad defensive prod being taken sharply by Danish Malewar off his second attempt at silly point. Two balls later, Shivam Dube edged straight to the slips and Rekhade went on a long sprint to celebrate his feat.
Thakur vs Thakur
Harsh then trapped Shams Mulani in front of the wickets. At 118 for six, dangerous Shardul Thakur waged a counter-attack. But 20 minutes before stumps, Yash won the Thakur vs Thakur battle, thanks to a short ball that Shardul pulled to deep backward-square.
The scores: Vidarbha – 1st innings: Atharva Taide c Anand b Dias 4, Dhruv Shorey c Rahane b Mulani 74, Parth Rekhade c Suryakumar b Dube 23, Danish Malewar c Anand b Mulani 79, Karun Nair c Anand b Dube 45, Yash Rathod c & b Shardul 54, Akshay Wadkar c Anand b Dias 34, Harsh Dubey c Anand b Dube 18, Nachiket Bhute c Mulani b Dube 11, Darshan Nalkande (not out) 12, Yash Thakur c Shardul b Dube 3; Extras (b-1, lb-6, nb-15, w-4): 26; Total (in 107.5 overs): 383.
Aakash Anand.
| Photo Credit:
EMMANUAL YOGINI
Fall of wickets: 1-39, 2-93, 3-144, 4-222, 5-261, 6-324, 7-346, 8-364, 9-369.
Mumbai bowling: Shardul 19-0-78-1, Avasthi 14-2-61-0, Dias 18-5-48-2, Kotian 22-0-78-0, Dube 11.5-1-49-5, Mulani 23-4-62-2.
Shivam Dube.
| Photo Credit:
EMMANUAL YOGINI
Mumbai – 1st innings: Ayush Mhatre c Malewar Nalkande 9, Akash Anand (batting) 67, Siddhesh Lad b Yash 35, Ajinkya Rahane b Rekhade 18, Suryakumar Yadav c Malewar b Rekhade 0, Shivam Dube c Taide b Rekhade 0, Shams Mulani lbw b Dubey 4, Shardul Thakur c Nalkande b Yash 37, Tanush Kotian (batting) 5; Extras (b-3, nb-8, w-2): 13; Total (for seven wkts. in 59 overs): 188.
Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-85, 3-113, 4-113, 5-113, 6-118, 7-178.
Vidarbha bowling: Nalkande 10-1-40-1, Yash 11-0-56-2, Dubey 15-1-51-1, Bhute 7-1-22-0, Rekhade 16-6-13-3.
Published – February 18, 2025 07:24 pm IST