Mumbai hit Railways for six

Two days earlier,he had quietly gone past the milestone Faiz Fazal was his 400th victim and had added another three scalps since then. Ever since playing the last of his one-dayers in Team India colours in October 2007,the 33-year-old has been largely been ignored by the selectors.

First choice

But when it comes to Mumbai,his would be one of the first names on the team sheet. Mumbai completed a ten-wicket win and bagged six points on Sunday. After dismissing Railways for a total of 244,they needed 18 to win,Wasim Jaffer knocked 19 to complete the rout.

And even though Iqbal Abdullah turned the game on its head with three quick wickets,including that of Railways skipper Sanjay Bangar to set up the big win,Powar scalped the biggest wicket. Opener Shivakant Shukla was looking steady on 77 and had kept one end going,but Powar opened the gates,striking the decisive blow when he had the opener pouched at silly point.

From then on,it was Abdullahs show from being 189/4 at lunch,Railways collapsed in dramatic fashion in the post-lunch session to gift Mumbai six points.

Powar was the first one to applaud Abdullahs contribution. But by then the openers skipper Wasim Jaffer and Kaustubh Pawar had darted in to don their pads.

After the match,Jaffer led the accolades. He has to be a special cricketer to take 400 wickets in domestic cricket. He has performed so well for us in the last 10-12 seasons and to reach this mark is fantastic achievement. But these records,he added will hardly be noticed.

Right through out his brief stint in India Blues,his red sunglasses and his waistline were discussed far more than his loopy off-spinners or his guile.

And Jaffer said it was an unfair assessment of the Mumbai warhorse. I have played with him since my U-16 days,I have seen him really thin. The problem with him is that he puts on weight when he is not playing matches. But then he works hard to get reasonably in shape and is agile his camp;b dismissal in the Railways first innings is an evidence that he can move in the field.

Next target

Powar,though,is content with what he is doing right now. Its great to reach 400 wickets. My next target is 500, the off-spinner said,munching on his paneer roll. Any dreams of comeback? Its important to hope that it happens. When you have nothing to look forward to,whats the point of carrying on playing?

Brief scores: Mumbai 483 amp; 20/0 bt Railways 256 amp; f/0 244 all out in 97.3 overs S Shukla 78,N Bille 34; I Abdullah 3/29,S Yadav 1/2,D Kulkarni 2/45 by ten wickets. Mumbai 6,Railways 0