Journalism of Courage
Mumbai captain Zaheer Khan completed a five wicket haul in the third day of the Ranji Trophy match against Delhi to keep the contest at the Bandra Kurla Complex very much in the balance. Khan picked up four wickets at vital intervals to end with figures of 5/88 as Delhi resuming their first innings on an overnight 191/3 were dismissed for 324 exactly the same score as Mumbai. With the first innings of both teams level,in the absence of an outright result,both will end with one point.
Khan got Mumbai going when he picked up Manan Sharmas wicket as early as on the fifth ball of his first over,and then shuffled his bowlers to cut down the oppositions scoring rate. Recognising Mithun Manhas,who went on to score a well-deserved 113,as the key batsman,Khan brought himself into the attack in the last over before lunch. At that stage Delhi needed 16 runs for the first innings lead with four wickets in hand. Zaheer needed just four balls before Manhas off stump was sent cartwheeling behind. Delhi had added another run when Khan struck again,getting Nehra to nick the ball to keeper Aditya Tare.
The ninth wicket pair of Parwinder Awana and Vikas Mishra added another nine before the former was bowled by Vishal Dabholkar but even as Pawan Suyal walked in to bat,the six runs needed for the lead would have seen very gettable. Khans fifth over of his second spell was layered with drama. His third ball bounced over Mishras head,evaded Tares outstretched arms and raced away to the fence. Five wides were signalled and just like that Delhi had levelled their 324 target. But just when it had seemed that Khan had given away the lead and the three points that come with it,hus next delivery to Vikas Mishra saw the tail-ender edge his attempted drive to Tares grateful hands.
With the certainty of neither team being awarded the extra points,Mumbai openers Kaustubh Pawar and Aditya Tare started strongly,which was based on their 35-year old captains instructions to try and force a win. After a 64-run partnership,Pawar was caught at covers on a Manan Sharma delivery. Ranji Trophy veteran Wasim Jaffer was dismissed for a duck on his third delivery. Tare then found himself in a position familiar to the first innings when he forged a formidable partnership with 21-year old Siddhesh Lad. The pair will start the final day of the game having put together 133 runs together in the second innings so far. Tare has impressed with a masterful 115 off 125 balls,while Lad has hit 67 off 86.
At stumps on the third day,Mumbai has a score of 198 with the loss of two wickets in 45 overs.
Brief scores: At stumps on Day 3 Mumbai 324 and 198/2 (Aditya Tare 115,Siddhesh Lad 67; Manan Sharma 1/42,Vikas Mishra 1/74) Delhi 324/10 (Mithun Manhas 113,Gautam Gambhir 64; Zaheer Khan 5/88,Javed Khan 3/73,Vishal Dabholkar 2/58)
