Rawat, Jalaj Saxena lead MP's fightback

Madhya Pradesh 221 for 3 (Saxena 85, Ojha 60*) trail Mumbai 404 (Suryakumar 135, Herwadkar 97, Lad 73, Rawat 5-74) by 183 runs
Scorecard

Yogesh Rawat's inspiring spell coupled with a solid batting performance helped Madhya Pradesh stage a comeback against Mumbai on the second day at the Wankhede Stadium.

The match was nicely poised with Naman Ojha and Devendra Bundela's unbroken partnership of 91 aiding MP end the day at 221 for 3 to keep them in the hunt of Mumbai's first innings total of 404.

Had it not been for Rawat's accurate spell and Puneet Datey's supporting act in the morning, MP would have been in a grave situation by the end of the day. Having amassed 375 for 4 on the opening day, Mumbai entered the day hoping to bat MP out of the game.

The MP bowlers, who had sprayed the ball all over on the first day, on the other hand, were hoping to rectify their errors with the second new ball. Captain Bundela took the new ball at the start of the day's play and Datey and Rawat bowled in the right channels.  Siddhesh Lad and Sarfaraz Khan couldn't get going and found it difficult to rotate the strike.

Rawat's immaculate line was rewarded handsomely in the fourth over of the day, which saw him strike thrice in five balls. The second ball of the over was an outswinger and Sarfaraz nudged it to captain Bundela at first slip. Three balls hence, Rawat bowled an inswinger to trap Lad in front of the wickets.

Prompted by his heroics with the bat against Uttar Pradesh, Mumbai promoted Shardul Thakur ahead of Iqbal Abdulla. The first ball he faced moved slightly away after pitching and Thakur's front-foot prod resulted in an edge to Harpreet Singh Bhatia at second slip.

Rawat and Datey then continued to keep the pressure. The fact that MP conceded just two fours - they had been plundered for 57 fours and two sixes on the opening day - speaks highly about their accuracy. The Mumbai tail continued to succumb. The innings eventually folded up with Kshemal Waingankar edging Rawat to wicketkeeper Ojha, thus giving the young bowler a deserving five-wicket haul in only his second first-class match.

Mumbai thus lost their last six wickets for 24 runs, with the morning's figures reading 16-5-29-6. This was Mumbai's fourth batting collapse of the season, something that they would ill afford if they are to regain the title.

MP's batting essay started off on an unfortunate note, with Sanjay Mishra getting run out after backing up too far at the non-striker's end. But they had their share of luck thereafter as Mumbai dropped two regulation catches before lunch. Sarfaraz was too late to bend down and accept an edge off Jalaj Saxena's willow off Javed Khan in the sixth over, and Lad was guilty of dropping Rameez Khan at forward short leg off Thakur.

Rameez's chance didn't cost Mumbai much, with the left-handed batsman adding 17 runs before chasing an away-moving delivery from Wilkin Mota to edge it to wicketkeeper Aditya Tare. Saxena, who was on 17 when he got a reprieve, made Mumbai pay dearly as his aggressive 85 helped MP up the ante.

Saxena was fluent in his strokemaking. Had he not walked into the trap and glided Abdulla's angled delivery onto his pads straight to Sarfaraz at leg slip, he would have not only scored his second century of the tournament, but also helped MP get closer to Mumbai's total.

If Ojha and Bundela, who were solid as ever, see off the first hour on the penultimate day, they will surely give MP a chance to return home with a smile. For Mumbai to make a comeback, their seamers will have to replicate Rawat and Datey's heroics on the second morning. The new ball will be due eight overs into the day.