Mumbai 37: A rags-to-riches script

Until the end came, it wasn8217;t easy. There was a brief scare on the fourth day of the final match that was played here, at the Wankhede Stadium. Manoj Tiwary, Bengal8217;s youngest batting talent, and Sourav Ganguly, the eldest, were threatening to pull the carpet from under Mumbai8217;s feet. Tiwary led the assault against the likes of Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar and Ramesh Powar and Ganguly kept it on when the rest of the team couldn8217;t do much but keep hoping against hope.

But 472 8212; the target 8212; was way too far away and Mumbai knew sooner or later, the match would be theirs.

Nevertheless, even as the final was about to be decided, it was certain that this match would go down as one of the best fought in a long time. The fact that while chasing, Bengal were 270 for 3 at one time was an indication of how they had jumped back into the game.

The only threat Bengal could see during the first one hour of play after resuming their innings on Monday was the pace and precision of Zaheer and Agarkar. Captain Deep Dasgupta and Tiwary did well to leave everything they could and play cautiously when the ball came on to the bat, so as to allow themselves some time in the middle.

8220;That was the time when we still weren8217;t thinking too far. It was still a question of sticking around and playing every ball to its merit. There was Rohan Gavaskar, Laxmi Ratan Shukla and me waiting,8217;8217; said Ganguly about that particular session when Bengal were gradually beginning to find their feet.

Gavaskar looked in fine form to score his 46 runs while Ganguly pleased himself with immaculate drives on both sides of the wicket to reach an impressive 90. The two batsmen, however, failed to stay longer than that and once they fell, it was all over. 8220;Tiwary showed the talent he is,8217;8217; Ganguly would later say after Mumbai had lifted the trophy.

It was Zaheer8217;s bowling, precisely, that made the difference. A nine-wicket haul in the match, four in the second innings, set the medium-pacer8217;s performance apart from the rest. 8220;He8217;s a changed bowler and is in smashing form. It8217;s the best thing to happen to India,8217;8217; Ganguly said of the left-arm speedster.

Bengal8217;s effort of reaching the Ranji final on consecutive occasions might soon be forgotten because it is after all the winner who would take home the honours of the day. 8220;It8217;s been a wonderful season 8212; highs, lows and then highs again. The perfect team effort and the best prize that hard-work can win,8217;8217; Mumbai skipper Muzumdar said after the match.

The record-player was back in the dressing room but Queen wasn8217;t playing yet. 8220;It8217;s Bhangra time now,8217;8217; the players said. After not being able to collect a single point from their first three matches, getting off to their worst start in the tournament in a long time, Mumbai are now the champions.

Hard work, commitment, determination, passion, luck8230; Muzumdar8217;s list of the factors that played a role in winning this title wouldn8217;t end. For now, even he doesn8217;t want to think of the word logic. This is the moment of celebration.