Murali Kartik torments Mumbai

By Nandakumar Marar

MUMBAI, OCT. 15. Murali Kartik teased and taunted five Mumbai batsmen to their doom, reducing the Ranji Trophy champion to 145- 5 in the second innings as Rest of India moved within sight of victory on day three of the Irani Trophy match at the Wankhede stadium.

The aggressive Railways spinner, extracting turn and bounce from the track, took all the five wickets to fall in the Mumbai second innings.

Two of his victims - Mumbai opener Wasim Jaffer (50) and Sameer Dighe (4) - are established batsmen who knew what was expected from them, but succumbed to Kartik's wiles.

Amol Muzumdar (21 not out) is at the crease, along with reliable Paras Mhambrey as Mumbai, ahead by a mere 16 runs over Rest who were bowled out for 389 in the first innings, now have a battle on their hands as the match nears the home stretch.

Kartik (18-5-58-5) has already done enough to demand respect, even a tinge of fear, in the minds of the Mumbai batsmen.

And with Rest skipper V.V.S. Laxman willing to employ attacking fields, as was seen in the last session, the match looks to be heading for an early finish.

Chairman of selectors Chandu Borde, who made an appearance at the Wankhede and kept a keen eye on the proceedings, will be only one of the interested spectators as the Ranji champions continue their battle for survival.

Both Mumbai batsmen at the crease, Muzumdar and Mhambrey, are game fighters but it is the `Kartik' effect which may emerge the decisive factor.

Muzumdar and Mhambrey can take inspiration from opener Jaffer, whose knock of 50 off 84 balls (studded with 11 sweetly- timed fours) was a brief exhibition of the art of batting.

The manner in which he tackled the medium-pacers Ashish Nehra, Dodda Ganesh and Laxmi Rattan Shukla is proof of his prowess in the longer version of the game.

Cricket has a way of mocking the best-laid plans, Rest skipper Laxman should know. He had already driven the Mumbai attack to frustration the day before, during an exhibition of seemingly organised defence and amazing strokeplay.

After that monumental effort in concentration, he could last only 15 balls, adding a mere two runs to his overnight score of 145 before Santosh Saxena had him snapped by Muzumdar in the slips.

For a batsman who seemed in total command for 280 balls, the dismissal was an anti-climax, but his fifth-wicket partnership worth 89 with Jacob Martin set the tone for the match.

The Mumbai medium-pacer, bowling with hostility displayed in the closing stages of the first day, then sent back Martin, the other established batsman remaining in the Rest side, playing on and losing his leg stump.

With these two dismissals, Saxena had brought Mumbai back into the match, apart from getting noticed as a utility player.

He had plenty of motivation, having to justify the decision to play for Mumbai in the hope of hitting big-time, angering his employer Railways which wants his services in domestic cricket.

Nilesh Kulkarni got his name in the wicket-takers list with the scalps of Shukla, Sharandeep and Nehra, but by then Rest had already crossed the 300-run mark.

And debutant Vinayak Mane had a major hand in Nehra's dismissal, pulling off a diving catch at square leg, a feat which saw him leading Mumbai back to the dressing room.

The scores:

Mumbai - 1st innings: 260

Rest of India XI - 1st innings: S. Ramesh c Dighe b Saxena 4, S.S. Das c Jaffer b Mhambrey 0, M. Kartik c Dighe b Mhambrey 22, V.V.S. Laxman c Muzumdar b Saxena 167, Mohd. Kaif b Rajesh Pawar 75, Jacob Martin b Saxena 51, Ajay Ratra c Jaffer b Pawar 9, L.R. Shukla c Pawar b Kulkarni 12, Sharandeep Singh c Jaffer b Kulkarni 26, Dodda Ganesh (not out) 13, Ashish Nehra c Mane b Kulkarni 0. Extras (2-b, 3-lb, 5-nb) 10. Total (in 133.5 overs) 389.

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-8, 3-29, 4-230, 5-310, 6-334, 7-349, 8- 349, 9-389.

Mumbai bowling: P. Mhambrey 23-3-76-2, S. Saxena 24-5-72-3, N. Kulkarni 42.5-7-121-3, R. Pawar 27-6-75- 2, R. Powar 15-2-37-0, N. Shetty 2-1-3-0.

Mumbai - 2nd innings: V. Mane c Sharandeep b Kartik 37, W. Jaffer c Nehra b Kartik 50, A. Muzumdar (batting) 21, K. Powar c Kaif b Kartik 24, N. Shetty c Martin b Kartik 0, S. Dighe c Laxman b Kartik 4, P. Mhambrey (batting) 2. Extras (3-lb, 4-nb) 7. Total (for five wikts. in 50 overs) 145.

Fall of wickets: 1-89, 2-94, 3-118, 4- 123, 5-135.

Rest of India XI bowling: D. Ganesh 11-2-36-0, A. Nehra 8-3-17-0, L. Shukla 4-0-20-0, M. Kartik 18-5- 58-5, Sharandeep Singh 9-5-11-0.

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