Pathan back in the swing of things

Baroda has perpetually been the ideal battleground for pacers and the hosts couldn't have asked for a better beginning than the one in their semi-final match against Mumbai on such a typical wicket at the Moti Bagh ground here.

Baroda has perpetually been the ideal battleground for pacers and the hosts couldn8217;t have asked for a better beginning than the one in their semi-final match against Mumbai on such a typical wicket at the Moti Bagh ground here.

No sooner did the coin fall in the hosts8217; favour, there was one man in the Baroda camp who could do no more than to thank his stars for it. Irfan Pathan, busy shadow-boxing in the domestic circuit at a time when the heavyweights are tackling the Windies, was already thinking which side of the ball was to be shined.

The wicket was promising swing, pace and bounce 8212; all that Pathan would eventually need to gain from. The moment Pathan and his longtime bowling partner Rakesh Patel began on the day, Mumbai could feel the mounting pressure. Opener Wasim Jaffer, who had shown classic form in Mumbai8217;s last match against Maharashtra, became Pathan8217;s first victim. The delivery and the dismissal did more good to the bowler than actually giving Mumbai a scare. The delivery swung into the right-hander 8212; trademark Pathan stuff 8212; and caught Jaffer unawares in front of the wicket.

After Jaffer8217;s dismissal, wickets didn8217;t come in a flurry for Pathan but it was his best bowling display in the three Ranji matches so far. The line and length were close to his best with the swing making the bowler virtually unplayable.

Though it took time, Pathan meted out a similar treatment No. 10 batsman Swapnil Hazare, his second victim. The delivery, pitched at good length, hit Hazare8217;s pads and the umpire was never in doubt about his decision. In between, the left-arm paceman removed Mumbai skipper who turned out to be the most dominating batsman of the day. He climbed atop the illustrious heap of Mumbai8217;s maurading batsmen when he crossed Ashok Mankad8217;s mark of 6,619 to become their top run-getter 6,664 runs in Ranji Trophy. He, however, fell three short of what would have been a fine century as Pathan had him caught at gully by Yousuf Pathan. But the Mumbai skipper Mumbai ended the day at 233 all out and Pathan with figures of 22.5-6-49-3. In reply, Baroda was nine without loss.

Brief scores: Mumbai 233 all out A Mazumdar 97, A Nair 30; Irfan Pathan 3/49, Rakesh Patel 3/53 vs Baroda: 9/0.