Kambli’s century props up Mumbai

The fourth-wicket pair was involved in a rollicking stand of 104 off only 69 minutes and 15.1 overs when India discard Venkatapathy Raju, who bowled beautifully, sent back maestro Tendulkar just when he looked to have gone into top gear.

But Kambli, who was batting belligerently with Tendulkar at the other end, changed his approach after his childhood friend’s dismissal at 176 and held the innings together with some responsible batting while adding an invaluable 81 runs for the sixth-wicket in 113 minutes and off 32.3 overs with Paras Mhambrey (38 batting).

Kambli was dismissed by left-arm medium-pacer Fiaz Ahmed in the last hour of the day before Mhambrey, lucky to be dropped twice in close succession early on both off Raju, and Ajit Agarkar (14) saw through the closing minutes without being separated while adding 20 runs for the seventh wicket.

Raju, who mixed his deliveries superbly, was the most impressive bowler with a haul of two for 100 while Ahmed ended the day with good figures of three for 46.

Hyderabad’s decision to field first seemed to have paid rich dividends when Fiaz Ahmed, who mostly slanted the ball away from the right handers and also brought the odd ball in, got rid off the home team captain Sameer Dighe (3) via a catch to Azhar in the slip cordon.

Then the other medium-pacer Narendra Pal Singh struck a timely blow when it seemed that opener Wasim Jaffer (32, 76m) had seen off the danger from the shining ball in the company of Jatin Paranjpe (10).

Jaffer needlessly cut a wide ball from Narendra and was caught at gully to make the hosts 51 for 2. Then left-handed Paranjpe, who looked unduly subdued, fell leg before to a sharply incoming ball from Fiaz Ahmed.

Tendulkar, who started off as if he was continuing from his unbeaten essays of 233 and 13 against Tamil Nadu in the semi-final, was joined by Kambli and the duo took the attack to the rival camp as Mumbai adjourned for Lunch at 116 for 3.

Both excelled in drives in front of the wicket and Raju got the stick from both the batsmen with Tendulkar clobbering him for a straight six before the interval.

Runs came at a fast clip when these two batsmen were at the crease with the 50-run stand being raised in only 9.3 overs and the next 50 runs being completed in only 5.2 overs during which Tendulkar reached his half ton in 96 minutes and off 67 balls.

But Tendulkar’s dismissal by Raju, when the master batsman edged a ball slanted into him by the left-arm spinner to ‘keeper Riaz Sheikh while trying to drive away from body, brought Hyderabad back firmly into the match.

Kambli reached his half century off as many balls with 11 fours soon after Tendulkar’s departure, but thereafter started batting with more circumspection with the responsibility of getting a big score for his team now resting squarely on his shoulders.

Tendulkar, who faced 71 balls, fell at 176 and Hyderabad sent back Mumbai vice-captain Amol Muzumdar too cheaply with the score reading 202, with Raju again doing the job.

Another wicket at this stage could have undone Mumbai, but Mhambrey — playing his first match after a long injury lay-off — was let off twice in close succession off Raju who was varying his pace, flight and also bowling some very good armers, to Hyderabad’s disadvantage.

First, Mhambrey was dropped by Nanda Kishore at shortleg with the Mumbai total reading 214. Then when on six, he edged a ball from Raju which popped up off a length only to be grassed by stumper Sheikh.

These were very costly lapses as Mhambrey gave good support to Kambli as the duo took the score past 280 when the latter was caught and bowled by Fiaz Ahmed, driving on the rise.

Kambli, in all, faced 158 balls and curbed his attacking instinct during the latter part of his innings to such an extent that he took 57 balls between his 11th and 12th boundary hits.

His first 50 had been a run-a-ball effort and he faced another 99 balls to complete his century.