Sachin takes Mumbai close to final

Mumbai resuming at 141 for four needing a further 345 runs to take the lead depended on Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli to take them home.

Things could have been different for Mumbai had Madanagopal not missed a regulation catch at second slip off seamer Mahesh in only the third over of the day. Sachin at that time was on 42.

Kambli, who was playing in this match despite a personal tragedy in his life a day before the match, seemed inspired enough to play this one for his departed mother, started the day as only he can. He carted Sriram over long-on for a huge six and then soon after brought up his fifty in just 55 balls with seven fours and a huge six. Kambli then showed his contempt for the Tamil Nadu bowlers flicking Kumaran from outside the off-stump to the midwicket boundary and in the next over he stepped down the track to lift off-spinner Aashish Kapoor over the midwicket boundary for another four.

Tendulkar not to be left behind executed an superglance off Kumaran to the fine leg boundary and then flicked Mahesh passed midwicket for another boundary. Mumbai went in at Lunch at a healthy 262 for four with both Tendulkar and Kambli looking in ominous form having added 121 runs in 31 overs in the pre-Lunch session.

However, soon after lunch disaster struck for Mumbai when Kambli in the second over tried to essay a hook shot from a short one from Mahesh and only succeeded in getting a top edge which went straight to the bowler. Kambli made 75 in 173 minutes after having faced 107 balls and had 11 boundaries and one six. The Mumbai score was at that time 266 still 220 runs to take the first innings lead.

After the departure of Kambli, Sachin took things in his own hand as he went on to flog the bowling with Muzumdar, the new man was a mere spectator at the other end.

Tendulkar took a longing for Gokulakrishna clouting him for three sixes over fine leg, two of them consecutive to bring the crowd to their feet. Tendulkar and Muzumdar brought up their fifty partnership in just 67 minutes and off 65 balls with Tendulkar contributing 44 and Muzumdar just 10.

Muzumdar, however, soon started to find the gaps and executed two brilliantly timed cover drives which bisected the field off Sriram and then followed it up with a ferocious square cut behind point.

Just when it seemed that the two would take Mumbai past the Tamil Nadu first innings score after having put on 125 runs, Muzumdar played forward to a ball from Sriram, which turned enough to get his outside edge for Robin Singh to pocket the catch at first slip. Muzumdar made 47 runs in a stay of 157 minutes and 105 balls with seven hits to the fence.

SCOREBOARD

Tamil Nadu (1st innings): 485

Mumbai (1st innings) (overnight 141-4): S Dighe c Paul b Mahesh 55, W Jaffer c Ramesh b Kapoor 12, J Paranjpe c Kapoor b Kumaran 15, S Tendulkar batting 213, R Pawar c Madanagopal b Kapoor 1, V Kambli c & b Mahesh 75, A Muzumdar c Robin Singh b Sriram 47, R Powar c Sriram b Mahesh 13 A Agarkar c Madanagopal b Kapoor 13, A Kuruvilla (batting) 0; Extras (b9, lb7, nb 10) 26 Total (for 8 wkts, in 147 overs) 470
Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-77, 3-120, 4-127, 5-266, 6-391,7-412, 8-449

Bowling: Kumaran 23-7-76-1, Mahesh 25-2-97-3, Gokulakrishnan 21-7-72-0, Kapoor 29-6-93-3, Robin Singh 27-9-48-0, Sriram 22-2-68-1