Ranji Trophy: Thakur, Kulkarni give Mumbai chance of victory

ONGOLE: A game that hung by the thread after the conclusion of two absorbing days of cricket on Saturday, turned around dramatically within a span of 19.4 overs on Sunday, leaving only one of the two competing sides in a position to press for an outright win in their Ranji Trophy Group C encounter, here at the CSR Sarma ground.
Entering the third day’s play, there was very little to separate Mumbai and Andhra Pradesh, who had fought tooth and nail thus far, but the experienced duo of Shardul Thakur (5/55) and Dhawal Kulkarni (3/44) joined forces and produced a dream spell of reverse swing bowling in the afternoon to not only give Mumbai the first innings lead, but also help them push for an outright win in this extremely crucial contest.
Their demolition drive resulted in Andhra getting bowled out for 215, which meant the hosts fell 117 runs short of Mumbai’s first innings total of 332. Thereafter, the visiting batsmen added to the home team’s woes, putting on 190/4 in 41 overs to race to an overall lead of 307 runs, with a minimum of 90 overs still to be bowled in the contest. Shreyas Iyer (75 runs, 95 balls, 7x4, 1x6) and skipper Aditya Tare (1 run, 4balls) were holding fort at close.
Resuming proceedings on 74-2, Andhra got off to a brisk start with skipper Hanuma Vihari and the other unbeaten overnight batsman Ricky Bhui coasting along smoothly. Having survived a strong leg-before appeal off Abhishek Nayar in the very first over of the morning, the in-form Vihari executed some fine strokes en route to his 70.
He had been extremely cautious in his shot-selection and one feared that he was in for the long haul. But a lapse in concentration in the58thover that was bowled by Thakur cost him dear, and his failed attempt to cut a wide delivery ended up in Suryakumar Yadav’s hands at first slip. Vihari and Bhui had put on 132 runs at this stage, and this was the breakthrough that Mumbai needed desperately.
Thereafter, Bhui and new batsman B Sumanth had added 20 runs before the former was snapped up by Kulkarni on the fourth ball of the 64th over. Bhui shouldered arms to a delivery that ended up swinging in and uprooting his off stump. He was batting on a well-compiled 69, but his failure to read the ball that had reversed put Mumbai in front.
Andhra went to lunch at 185-4 after the completion of 65 overs, but they were able to do little post the break in the face of some hostile bowling by Thakur and Kulkarni with the old ball. Thakur went on to trap Sumanth in front of the wicket for 28, have Ashwin Hebbar caught by Jay Bista for 4, have Bandaru Ayyappa walk back to the pavilion, thanks to an outstanding catch at first slip by Yadav for zero, and not only bowl No. 11batsman P Vijay Kumar out, but also break his off stump! Kulkarni, meanwhile, accounted for M Pranith (8 runs) and Bhargav Bhatt (1).
Having sensed an opportunity, Mumbai were off to a flying start in their second innings, but first innings centurion Prithvi Shaw was extremely unlucky to get run out for 21. He had backed up a little too far and a straight drive by his partner Bista (36 runs, 34 balls, 5x4) saw the bowler Ayyappa get a faint touch before the ball crashed into the stumps. Iyer, meanwhile, was back in form after three successive disappointments, and scored freely to get to 75. He faced only 95 balls and cracked seven boundaries and a six.