Back
Sport
-
Cricket
Incisive spell by Agarkar
By Our Special Correspondent
Mumbai's Ajit Agarkar exults after having Baroda's Tushar Arothe caught behind by Vinayak Samant on the first day of their Ranji Trophy semifinal in Baroda on Friday.
Virtually the entire Indian seam attack that was picked for the tri-series in Dhaka had assembled here to show their unflinching allegiance to the home team, but the unfortunate part of the first day's proceedings was that a very incisive spell by a single bowler might have already shattered the dreams of the home team. Just turning out for Mumbai for the 12th time in five years, Ajit Agarkar — he has been capped by India more than a hundred times in one-day internationals during the same period — put his team in command, well before the second interval of the day.
Leading an attack that comprised of the latest India recruit Avishkar Salvi and veteran Paras Mhambrey, Agarkar came up with a deadly second spell after the Baroda captain Connor Williams and teenager Rakesh Solanki had defied the combined Mumbai attack for a little over one and half hours. The left-handed Williams showed excellent judgment in leaving balls, while Solanki, also a left-hander, displayed maturity for a seventeen-year-old and thumped fluent shots in front of the wicket. The two seemed to have had the measure of the rival without actually carrying out an assault, but Baroda's first innings, after being invited to bat, plunged to disaster once Agarkar appeared on the scene for his second spell.
On Friday, Agarkar turned out to be a very formidable opponent for the Baroda batsmen, many of whom had no answer to the sharp and stinging deliveries bowled at a good pace. After he held a firm hit by Williams off his own bowling, he quickly added two more victims. One was that of debutant Dhiren Salvi and the other Tushar Arothe, playing his 100th match for Baroda.
Skipper Mhambrey made a smart move. He promptly brought back Salvi for his second spell and Solanki, who was playing beautifully, played on to his stumps a rising delivery. Mhambrey struck twice after lunch, Amol Muzumdar taking a fine catch at second slip to dismiss Ajit Bhoite and wicketkeeper Vinayak Samant taking his third catch to send back Rakesh Patel. Baroda was dismissed for a paltry 130 in less than 44 overs, losing nine wickets for 55 runs.
Mumbai's opening pair in Vinayak Mane and Wasim Jaffer once again failed to give a proper start. Mane misjudged Zaheer Khan's line and did not offer a shot and umpire Hariharan ruled him leg before. After tea, Hariharan responded favourably to an appeal for leg before against Muzumdar. This time the right-hander's front foot was way down the pitch.
Mumbai's innings moved forward, thanks to some bold shots hit by left-hander Nishit Shetty. He took heavy toll of the spinners Valmick Buch and Ajit Bhoite and became the first batsman in the day to make a half century.
The scores:
Baroda — 1st innings: S. Parab c Samant b Agarkar 0, C. Williams c & b Agarkar 25, R. Solanki b Salvi 43, D. Salvi lbw b Agarkar 0, T. Arothe c Samant b Agarkar 0, A. Bhoite c Muzumdar b Mhambrey 13, N. Mongia lbw b Bahutule 25, I. Pathan (Jr) c & b Agarkar 0, R. Patel c Samant b Mhambrey 1, Z. Khan run out 14, V. Buch not out 2, Extras (b3, nb 4) 7, Total (in 43.3 overs) 130.
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-75, 3-75, 4-75, 5-75, 6-94, 7-95, 8-96, 9-118.
Mumbai bowling: Agarkar 15-4-46-5, Salvi 10-4-20-1, Mhambrey 10-3-32-2, Bahutule 6.3-0-23-1, Powar 2-1-6-0.
Mumbai — 1st innings: V. Mane lbw b Khan 18, W. Jaffer c Mongia b Patel 22, N. Shetty (batting) 69, A. Muzumdar lbw b Khan 17, B. Thakkar (batting) 3, Extras (lb 7, nb 2) 9, Total (for three wkts. in 44 overs) 138.
Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-71, 3-109.
Baroda bowling: Khan 13-3-29-2, Patel 11-4-24-1, Pathan (jr) 12-3-39-0, Buch 2-0-12-0, Bhoite 2-0-20-0, Arothe 4-1-7-0.
© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu