Mumbai skipper scores 97, overtakes Ashok Mankad as highest Ranji run-getter for the state.
BARODA: A familiar sight unfolded at the Motibagh Ground on Tuesday. Mumbai were in a spot of trouble and Amol Muzumdar walked out to do the rescue act.
Within the grounds that also houses a palace - home to the erstwhile rulers of Baroda - Muzumdar achieved a rather monumental feat.
In the second over after lunch, Muzumdar hit left-arm spinner Rajesh Pawar for a boundary to the mid-wicket fence. The four runs saw him overhaul Ashok Mankad’s record of most Ranji Trophy runs for Mumbai .
Muzumdar got his name chiselled above some illustrious servants of Mumbai cricket - Sunil Gavaskar, Vinod Kambli, Wasim Jaffer and, of course, Mankad.
A glace at the list of the top-five run getters shows that Muzumdar has a lower innings to century ratio when compared to the rest. But nothing can be taken away from what his runs are worth.
Like his 97 on Tuesday, most of Muzumdar’s runs have been understated knocks, a good deal of them against strong attacks and with the team’s collective backs against the wall.
From 4 for 75, Mumbai stretched the total to 233 before Muzumdar fell three runs short of a well-deserved century.
He batted for 313 minutes, a period that is more than the sum total of his seven teammates who partnered him.
When less accomplished teammates joined him, he bore the brunt of the pace attack led by Irfan Pathan and Rakesh Patel. He didn’t allow Rajesh Pawar, the left-arm spinner, who has been a handful this season, to settle down.
After crossing his half-century, Muzumdar reverse swept and then slog swept Pawar to the fence off consecutive balls.
The well-rounded Baroda attack came to life on a pitch kissed with grass and morning moisture. Sahil Kukreja was beaten all ends up by one that zipped through from Patel.
Rohit Sharma was run-out, while Hiken Shah was caught at forward short-leg off Pawar’s spin. Mumbai were staring at an embarrassing total before Muzumdar dropped anchor.
The Mumbai captain expressed confidence at the end of the day’s play. “Believe me, 233 is a challenging total. They have left a lot of grass on the pitch and the ball will move all day.
It is not easy batting out there,” Muzumdar said. He may have never played for India, in spite of having the runs to back him, but it will be difficult to find a man who knows his way about in first class cricket better than Muzumdar.
His belief that Mumbai has a fighting total on the board is unlikely to be misplaced.
Leading Mumbai into the final of the Ranji Trophy in his first full year as skipper would be the icing on the cake during a season in which he became a father too. Not wearing the India cap may not hurt as bad for Muzumdar if Mumbai win at Baroda.
Scorecard
Mumbai (1st innings): S Kukreja b Patel 14, W Jaffer lbw b I Pathan 22, H Shah c Solanki b Pawar 10, A Muzumdar c Y Pathan b I Pathan 97, R Sharma run out (Solanki) 6, A Nair c Panchal b Y Pathan 30, W Mota c Martin b Pawar 4, V Samant b Patel 20, N Kulkarni lbw b Patel 0, S Hazare lbw b I Pathan 0, R Verma not out 1
Extras (b 4, lb 12, nb 13): 29
Total (all out; in 79.5 overs): 233
FoW: 1-32, 2-40, 3-59, 4-75, 5-145, 6-162, 7-206, 8-206, 9-222, 10-233
Bowling: I Pathan 22.5-6-49-3, R Patel 20-7-53-3, R Pawar 22.3-3-94-2, S Joshi 8-4-9-0, Y Pathan 6.3-2-12-1
Baroda (1st innings)
C Williams batting 0, S Parab batting 8
Extras (nb 1): 1 Total (in 3 overs) 9/0 Bowling: R Verma 2-1-1-0, S Hazare 1-0-8-0
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