Laxman scores century before Mumbai tighten noose

The not out batsmen at the end of the fourth day’s play were Fiaz Ahmed (11) and Venkatapathy Raju (0), who came to the crease at the fall of Hyderabad skipper Mohd Azharuddin (11) who could bat only at the fall of the fifth wicket as he was off the field throughtout day due to an injury.

The stylish 25-year Laxman, who has been in and out of the India team, drove, flicked and pulled his way to his 18th century in the National championship with 13 fours and two sixes besides featuring in a fighting stand of 188 runs for the second wicket with left-handed opener Daniel Manohar.

Laxman, who batted for 264 minutes and faced 192 balls, and Manohar (71 in over six hours with 11 fours) fell within the space of 24 balls while only four runs were added to the score soon after Tea to trigger the collapse in which seven wickets fell while only 46 runs were added in the last session.

Left-arm spinner Pawar grabbed four of these wickets, including that of Manohar, Laxman and Azhar, while Agarkar claimed the other three Hyderabad wickets.

Hyderabad started their daunting task in the morning on the wrongfoot when they lost opener Nanda Kishore (9) at 10 when the batsman snicked Agarkar to Sachin Tendulkar at first slip.

But Manohar, who flopped in the first essay in Hyderabad’s meagre total of 195 in reply to Mumbai’s 376, and Laxman, unfortunately run out for 46 in the first innings, took the attack to the rival camp during their excellent second-wicket stand which lasted for 264 minutes.

Mumbai tried several bowlers to break it, but in vain, though Laxman could have been sent back early on had Tendulkar accepted a low catch to his right when the batsman, on 6, snicked Abey Kuruvilla to the slip cordon.

Manohar too survived a very difficult chance in the slip cordon, Tendulkar again being the erring player, but thereafter played the ideal foil for Laxman.

The latter, at the end of his knock which was his tenth century in first class cricket this season — including two in Australia — had taken his record tally to 1415 in nine matches.

Laxman raised his half century in style, lofting Pawar to the straight field for a four and a six, in 116 minutes and off 74 balls and embellished with seven fours and 2 sixes.

Hyderabad, 112 for one, at lunch put on another 82 runs in 29 overs in the second session withoout losing any wicket.

Manohar completed his half ton in 212 minutes with eight boundaries and Laxman, who had come into this match after a monumental 353 made against Karnataka in the semi-final, reached his three-figure mark in 217 minutes, off 161 balls and with the help of 12 fours and two sixes.

SCOREBOARD :

Mumbai (1st innings): 376

Hyderabad (1st innings): 195

Mumbai (2nd innings): 409

Hyderabad (2nd innings): Nanda Kishore c Tendulkar b Agarkar 9, Daniel Manohar b Pawar 71, VVS Laxman c (sub) Amit Dani b Pawar 111, Vanka Pratap lbw Agarkar 2, Parth Satwalekar lbw Pawar 22, Riaz Sheikh b Agarkar 1, M Azharuddin c (sub) Amit Pagnis b Pawar 11, Fiaz Ahmed batting 11, Venkatapthy Raju batting 0;

Extras: (b1, lb6, nb6) 13.

Total (for seven wickets, in 90 overs) 251

Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-198, 3-202, 4-202, 5-212, 6-239, 7-240

Bowling: Kuruvilla 9-1-24-0, Agarkar 21-4-46-3, Pawar 30-7-96-4, Saxena 8-1-26-0, Mhambrey 8-2-25-0, Tendulkar 13-2-26-0, Jaffer 1-0-1-0.