Ranji Trophy: Parth puts Vidarbha in firm control against Mumbai
Left-arm spinner Parth Rekhade struck thrice in an over as Mumbai slipped to a precarious 188/7 in reply to Vidarbha’s first innings total of 383, trailing by 195 runs at stumps on Day 2 of their Ranji Trophy semifinal here on Tuesday. Mumbai opener Akash Anand was battling at one end, unbeaten on 67, with the last recognised batter Tanush Kotian on 5 not out at the other as their title defence came under intense pressure from a disciplined and persistent Vidarbha side on their home ground at the VCA Stadium here.
Mumbai were steady at 113/2 at one stage but Rekhade, playing only his second First-Class match, ripped open the Ranji champions’ batting line-up, first with an innocuous delivery which claimed the prized scalp of Ajinkya Rahane in the 41st over.
Rahane’s defensive prod had the ball rolling back to his stumps and knock off the bails, ending his stay for a 24-ball 18 which also had an outside edge flying between the wicketkeeper and the first slip. Two deliveries later, Suryakumar Yadav (0) then paid a heavy price for a hard-handed frontfoot prod as an inside edge was sharply collected by Danish Malewar at silly point over his head.
Another couple of deliveries later, Shivam Dube (0), who had claimed 5/49 in Vidarbha’s first innings, was also caught for a two-ball duck like his India T20I teammate Suryakumar as Mumbai slipped from 113/2 to 113/5. It soon became 118/6 for the Rahane-led side, losing four wickets for a mere five runs, when Shams Mulani was trapped leg-before by Harsh Dubey for his first wicket.
Anand then forged a crucial 60-run stand with Shardul Thakur but their partnership did not last long.
Azharudeen scores hundred
Ahmedabad: Mohammed Azharudeen’s dogged 149 not out, his first hundred in red ball cricket in seven years, took Kerala to a commanding 418/7 at stumps on Day 2 of their semifinal against Gujarat. Kerala, who have not gone past the semifinals in the premier domestic red ball event, had resumed the day at 206/4. A 149-run stand between Azharudeen and Salman Nizar (52 off 202) took Kerala past the 350-run mark.
Brief scores: Vidarbha: 383 in 107.5 overs (Malewar 79, Shorey 74, Rathod 54; Dube 5/49) vs Mumbai: 188/7 in 59 overs (Anand 67*; Rekhade 3/16); Kerala: 418/7 in 177 overs (Azharudeen 149*)
vs Gujarat. — PTI
