After ton,Rahane thanks Tendulkar

Ajinkya Rahane got some words of advice from Sachin Tendulkar before last seasons Ranji Trophy final against Karnataka.

Ajinkya Rahane got some words of advice from Sachin Tendulkar before last seasons Ranji Trophy final against Karnataka. After scoring a polished 110 against Bengal in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match against Bengal at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday,Rahane acknowledged Tendulkars contribution in making him a better player.

We,Mumbai players,are privileged to have got time with Sachin Tendulkar,who is always willing to help us out. His words were very encouraging before the last years final and it changed my approach towards the game, Rahane said after the first days play.

Mumbai were 287 for four at stumps with Rohit Sharma batting on 37 and Abhishek Nayar giving him company on 13. Rahane missed most of the IPL3 owing to an injury. And a niggle prevented him from playing in the Ranji Trophy opener against Saurashtra. On Wednesday,after enjoying a charmed life on 12 debutant Writam Porel dropped the sitter he was determined to make up for the lost time as he scored his 15th first-class century.

I am determined to score as many runs as possible this season. I am really disappointed to give my wicket to a non-regular bowler. It was a lapse in concentration, he said.

Indeed,skipper Manoj Tiwary,with his military medium pace,became the unlikely bowling hero for the hosts by bagging the wickets of Rahane and Wasim Jaffer when Mumbai were threatening to take the game away from the opposition. Tiwary finished the day with 2 for 23 in seven overs and pulled his team back into the contest after Rahane and Jaffer put on 152 for the third wicket.

Rahane paced his innings beautifully and hit 15 boundaries in his 189-ball knock. Jaffer,on the other hand,displayed lazy elegance but this time the century eluded him. Rohit Sharma,in great touch,has already hit seven boundaries in his unbeaten knock.

The newly-laid Eden Gardens wicket played slow but there was help for the seamers. The hosts tasted early success when Sushant Marathe 11 was run out as he slipped trying to steal a single. Off-spinner Sourashish Lahiri accounted for Omkar Gurav 38. After that Rahane and Jaffer took over.

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Brief scores: Mumbai 287/4 Ajinkya Rahane 110,Wasim Jaffer 73; Manoj Tiwary 2/23 vs Bengal