Kambli, Muzumdar serve notice with centuries

The Muzumdar-Kambli combination packed 229 runs in 49.3 overs during their fourth-wicket association which was largely instrumental in Mumbai adding 319 runs off 72 overs on Wednesday after resuming the day on 53-1.

Interestingly, it was Muzumdar who had a better strike-rate than Kambli, who had a sedate start compiling his first 50 runs in 90 balls.

The 25-year-old Muzumdar has shown a drastic improvement in accumulating runs at a faster pace which was amply evident in his 10th Ranji hundred(150b, 220m, 10×4, 2×6). His first fifty runs came off 79 balls.

Kambli, who turns 28 in a fortnight, adhered to coach Ashok Mankad’s advice in exercising patience. “I was terribly disappointed after getting out for 12 in the first innings. Kaka (Mankad) advised me not to get upset about it and just be patient,” revealed Kambli.

Kambli crafted his 18th century (155b, 196m, 15×4) in the National Championship, which came close on the heels of the his 116 against Gujarat last week.

Both Muzumdar and Kambli, who are eyeing berths in the National squad, are more intent in let their bats do the talking. “I’ve to work hard and score as many runs as possible in the domestic circuit to stake a claim,” said Kambli, whose batting average in the championship (80) is the second best — next only to Vijay Merchant’s 98.

Off-spinner Niraj Odedara was the sufferer, as the two batsmen picked 95 runs from his 24 overs.

Earlier, Today’s Pens-sponsored Mumbai began in right earnest with opener Amit Pagnis (50:135b, 198m, 6×4) and Amol Rane (30). However, both failed to captilise on the starts and succumbed to Odedara’s guiles. In stepped Kambli and with schoolmate Muzumdar, took the Saurashtra attack to the cleaners.

Explaining the delay in declaring the innings which came 39 minutes after the tea interval, Muzumdar said: “The idea was to maintain the effect of the new ball for tomorrow morning when the conditions would be more suitable for the medium-pacers.” Add to it the bounce on the track, which has been consistent on all the three days, the Saurashtra batsmen face a difficult proposition on Thursday.

SCOREBOARD
Mumbai (1st innings) 297
Saurashtra (1st innings): 183
Mumbai (2nd innings; overnight 53-1): Wasim Jaffer lbw b Garsondia 11 (52b, 81m, 2×4), Amit Pagnis c Kotak b Odedara 50 (135b, 198m, 6×4), Amol Rane b Odedara 30 (48b, 68m, 5×4), Amol Muzumdar c Parmar b Odedara 131 (169b, 254m, 15×4, 2×6), Vinod Kambli not out 125 (177b, 233m, 16×4, 1×6), Sairaj Bahutulenot out 11 (24b, 24m, 2×4);Extras (lb 9, w 1, nb 4): 14
Total (for four wickets declared in 100 overs; 432 mins): 372
Fall of wickets: 1-28 (Jaffer), 2-76 (Rane), 3-114 (Pagnis), 4-343 (Muzumdar)
Bowling: Garsondia 17-6-49-1 (nb 1), 13-3-54-0 (nb 1, w 1), Odedara 38-8-130-3 (nb 2), Chudasama 19-4-86-0, Bambhania 13-4-44-0
Saurashtra (2nd innings): Vasanth Kumar batting 16 (52b, 74m, 3×4), Bimal Jadeja batting 11 (45b, 74m, 1×4)
Extras (b 4, lb 1, nb 1): 6
Total (for no loss, in 16 overs; 74 mins): 33
Bowling: Mhambrey 3-1-10-0, Saxena 4-1-8-0, Kulkarni 5-4-3-0, Kuruvilla 4-1-7-0.

Kale, Aphale star

PUNE: Middle-order batsmen Abhijeet Kale (batting 77: 161b, 240m, 8×4) and Kaushik Aphale survived anxious moments as Maharashtra staged a late charge, after they were forced to follow-on, in the West Zone Ranji Trophy encounter against Baroda at the Nehru Stadium.

At stumps, Maharashtra were 176 for three. Earlier, thehosts were bowled out for 213, leaving them 180 runs in arrears. Former state skipper Surendra Bhave played a saviors role with a splendid 113 (260b, 399m, 15×4).

SCOREBOARD
Baroda (1st innings) 393
Maharashtra 1st innings (overnight) 134-6): Surendra Bhave b Khan 113, Dhiraj Jadhav lbw b Kadri 16, Abhijeet Kale c&b Swroop 3, Kaushik Aphale lbw b Khan 12, Shantanu Sugwekar c Mongia b Khan 1, Sagar Shah lbw R Patel 6, Satyen Lande c Mongia b Swaroop 1, Sanjay Kondhalkar retired hurt 1, Iqbal Siddiqui c Arothe b Swroop 24, Sachin Aradhye c Jadhav b Patel 13, Milind Kulkarni not out 1; Extras: (b 4, lb 4, w 5, nb 9) 22.
Total (for nine wickets in 91 overs 406 minutes) 213.
Fall of wickets: 1-56, 2-63, 3-83, 4-87, 5-126, 6-134, 7-188, 8-209, 9-213
Bowling: Khan 30.1-6-65-3 (9nb), Patel 21-8-47-2 (1w), Kadri 8-2-31-1, Swaroop 29.5-12-49-3
Maharashtra (2nd innings): Dhiraj Jadhav lbw b Khan 4, Surendra Bhave lbw b Kadri 21, Abhijeet Kalebatting 77, Shantanu Sugwekar c Williams b Swaroop 34, Kaushik Aphale batting 34. Extras: lb 4, nb 2) 6.
Total: (for three in 60 overs) 176
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-30, 3-97
Bowling: Khan 15-3-51-1 (nb 1), Patel 7-1-16-0, Kadri 14-7-22-1, Swaroop 16-0-63-1, Mulherkar 5-1-11-0 (nb 1), Arothe 3-0-9-0.