Ranji trophy: Mumbai stay in the fight

Sehwag didn’t disappoint. After a streaky start, he was in his element. Boundaries came thick and fast — the swashbuckler was scoring at a strike-rate of over 100. He treated young Balwinder Sandhu like a spinner, standing way outside the crease and carting the seamer all over the park. Aditya Tare walked up to the stumps to peg him back but Sehwag didn’t change his game. Mota bowled back-to-back bouncers and in return, the crowd booed him.

On 49 (58 balls, 9×4), however, he misjudged a single. A firm push to mid-on and Sehwag immediately set off for a run, ignoring non-striker Shivam Sharm’s reluctance. On the wrong side of 30, he wasn’t quick enough as Shardul Thakur rattled the stumps with a direct hit. Sehwag sheepishly walked back to the pavilion, taking little note of the applause from his admirers.

From Mumbai’s point of view, it was the breakthrough they needed. They had only 156 runs to defend and Sehwag was threatening to take the game away in double quick time. Once they had the window, the 40-time champions made rapid inroads. After a 78-run partnership for the third wicket, Delhi suffered a mini collapse. Also, Thakur rose to the occasion.

Mithun Manhas, in his 125th Ranji Trophy game, became the pacer’s first victim. The ball took the under-edge to the wicketkeeper as he attempted a cut. The milestone man returned for nought. Shivam Sharma then departed as Nikhil Patil took a good catch at first slip off Mota. Thakur changed ends and snapped up left-hander Manan Sharma. The ball came with the angle and the uppish drive was brilliantly taken by Siddhesh Lad at deep gully. From 98/2, Delhi had slumped to 111/6 inside half an hour. Fantastic fight-back from Mumbai; game on.

Rahul Yadav got out after lunch, caught behind off Sandhu. Sumit Narwal tried to put up a partnership with Rajat Bhatia and took the score from 139/7 to 162. But Thakur returned to break his resistance. A sharp in-cutter and an easy leg before decision. He accounted for Pradeep Sangwan and Parvinder Awana in the same over; in fact, in successive deliveries as Delhi were all out for 166. A 10-run first innings lead, but of little consequence, given the low-scoring nature of this five-day quarter-final.

Thakur returned with 5/54, his fifth five-for in this Ranji Trophy season which took his overall tally to 37. He will commence the second innings on a hat-trick. “A five-wicket haul is always a special feeling, but Sehwag’s run out, too, was very special. Also, I’m enjoying my role as the leader of the (bowling) pack,” he said.

Mumbai finished the day on 87/1 in their second innings. Akhil Herwadkar showed positive intent and got to an unbeaten half-century. But it was an over-enthusiast who made the final session eventful. He broke barriers to enter the playing arena and shake hands with Sehwag. Cops took him by the scruff of the neck but Gambhir intervened to spare him the blushes.

Brief scores: Mumbai 156 and 87/1 in 30 overs (Akhil Herwadkar 52*) vs Delhi 166 all out in 54 overs (Virender Sehwag 49; Shardul Thakur 5/54)