Mumbai U-19 team wins Cooch Behar Trophy

MUMBAI: On a day the senior Mumbai team made a backdoor entry into the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals, Mumbai's U-19 team held on grimly to win the Cooch Behar Trophy on the basis of the first innings lead against Punjab at Mohali.
The hosts made a fist of Mumbai's first innings total of 466 runs, but fell short by only four runs folding for 462.
The last-wicket pair put on 18 runs giving their opponents a major scare.Although gutted, Punjab came back strongly and bowled Mumbai out for a paltry 188 in the second innings.
But for Onkar Jadhav's 52 at No.6 and first innings centurion Sarfaraz Khan's 30 at No.7, Mumbai would probably have lost the game. This after openers Jay Bista (30) and Hardik Tamore (23) had put on 49 for the first wicket.
Off-spinner Sukhwinder Singh was the wrecker-in-chief, taking 5-60 and was supported by Karan Bhargav, who took 2-36 and Arpit Pannu, who finished with 2-37.
Needing 192 for victory in 17 overs, Punjab came out all guns blazing scoring 162-6 before the game ended in a draw.Opener Anmolpreet Singh stayed unbeaten on 55. Leftarm-spinner Sidak Singh was the most successful Mumbai bowler, taking 2-34.
Mumbai coach Vinod Raghavan was a relieved man after the tense finish and credited the entire team for the triumph. "The boys held their nerve and didn't panic when they were under pressure," he told TOI on Monday evening.
"With nothing to lose after conceding the first innings lead, Punjab came back strongly with spinner Sukhwinder Singh bowling really well. But, in the end we won and that's what matters," he added.
Batsmen Sarfaraz Khan, Jay Bista and Aarman Jaffer came in for special praise from the coach, as did leftarm spinner Sidak Singh for their consistency during the nine-match journey. "I feel Sidak is really coming come up well as he took 30 wickets in just five matches."
Brief Scores:
Mumbai 466 and 188 (Onkar Jadhav 52, Sarfaraz Khan 30, Jay Bista 30; Sukhwinder Singh 5-60) bt Punjab 462 and 162-6 (Anmolpreet Singh 55 Navneet Virk 30; Sidak Singh 2-34).