Sunday siesta bogs down Rlys

With the Railways versus Mumbai Ranji Trophy match tantalising poised, the prospect of spending a lazy Sunday afternoon at Karnail Singh Sta...

With the Railways versus Mumbai Ranji Trophy match tantalising poised, the prospect of spending a lazy Sunday afternoon at Karnail Singh Stadium to watch a keen bat and ball contest seemed mouth watering.

But a dull draw and mundane procedings on field meant that the only way one could have made the trip to the stadium worthwhile was by finding a hammock and relaxing under the blanket of a pleasant wintery sunshine.

SCOREBOARD

MUMBAI 1ST INNINGS: 248
RAILWAYS 1ST INNINGS: 282/8 decl.
MUMBAI 2ND INNINGS: Vinayak Mane lbw JP Yadav 62, Amit Vilaskar b Harvinder Singh 0, Wasim Jaffer c K Parida b JP Yadav 117, Nishit Shetty b K Parida 2, S Manjrekar st Sanjay Wankhede b K Parida 9, Ramesh Powar c S Khanolkar b K Parida 25, Vinayak Samant b JP Yadav 0, Robin Morris lbw JP Yadav 0, Sairaj Bahutule not out 6, Paras Mhambray lbw JP Yadav 6
Extras: b-9, lb-3, nb-1, w-2 15
Total: for nine wkts decl; 75 overs 242
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-140, 3-143, 4-159, 5-215, 6-215, 7-215, 8-231, 9-242
Bowling: Harvinder Singh 13-3-33-1, S Saxena 8-1-22-0, JP Yadav 21-5-47-5, K Parida 25-3-100-3, Yere Goud 1-0-5-0, TP Singh 7-1-23-0
Railways 2nd innings: JP Yadav c A Vilaskar b R Powar 5, A Pagnis c V Mane b R Powar 14, TP Singh not out 25, Yere Goud 20; Extras: b-1, w-1 2
Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-21
Bowling: Paras Mhambray 3-1-9-0, N Kulkarni 2-2-0-0, S Bahutule 9-4-27-0, R Powar 8-1-27-2, S Manjrekar 1-0-2-0

Railway bowlers took the field on the final day of the match today with their eyes off the watches and minds on getting a few early wickets. A quick end to the Mumbai innings to give their batsman enough time was their brief before the match. But as Wasim Jaffer 117 and Vinayak Mane 62 saw through the first session without any mishap the writing on the Ranji Trophy points sheet seemed obvious.

Defending champs Railways despite the one point they gained here in the end might not reach the semi-final this year while Mumbai, despite going home empty-handed, will make it to the last four with the seven points gained from the previous games.

If one goes into the nitty gritty of the boredom on field, Mumbai declared their second inning at 242/9 after tea which meant Railways needed to score 209 from 23 overs to go for an outright win. But as the Railmen opted to spend the weekend peacefully rather than roll their sleeves and fight it out the match ended with the hosts finishing at 66/2.

Overall the match proved to be a futile excercise for both the teams. With Delhi and Rajasthan scoring outright wins, Railways are now pushed to the wall with the one point gaiend here being too little and coming too late. Mumbai, who now need just one point to qualify for the semis, will look forward to make the grade during their year-ending game against Bengal.

Story continues below this ad

But there will be one man who might be pretty pleased by his outing. Railways8217; JP Yadav scored a quickfire 60 with the aid of three sixes and also had an impressive figures of 5/47. By the way, he is among the probables for World Cup. Aren8217;t our selectors supposed to be looking for an all-rounder?

Sandeep Dwivedi

Sandeep Dwivedi is the Sports Editor at The Indian Express. He is one of India's most prominent sports journalists, known for his deep analytical insights and storytelling that often goes beyond scores and statistics to explore the human and cultural side of sports. Professional Profile Role: As the Sports Editor, he leads the sports coverage for the newspaper and the website. Weekly Column: He writes "The Sports Column," a weekly feature where he provides sharp, narrative-driven perspectives on the biggest sporting news of the week. Podcast: He is a frequent contributor to the "Express Sports" podcast (Game Time), where he discusses evolving trends in cricket and other international sports. Areas of Expertise While Dwivedi covers the entire sporting spectrum, his work is particularly noted in the following areas: Cricket: He provides extensive coverage of the Indian National Team and the IPL. He frequently analyzes the leadership styles of figures like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir. He is known for tracking the transition phases of Indian cricket and the evolution of specific players like Kuldeep Yadav and Rishabh Pant. Athletics & Olympic Sports: He has written extensively on Neeraj Chopra’s rise in javelin, the nuances of Indian shooting, and tennis legends like Sania Mirza and Leander Paes. Human Interest Stories: A hallmark of his writing is his focus on the struggles and backgrounds of athletes, such as the sacrifices made by Shafali Verma’s father or the "silent battles" of veteran players like Cheteshwar Pujara. Notable Recent Work & Themes Leadership and Dynamics: Recently, he has written about the dynamic between Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, arguing that personal friendship is not a prerequisite for team success. Sports & Culture: His articles often intersect with global culture, such as his deep dive into the 100-year legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters and their role as American soft power during the Cold War. The "Grey Areas" of Sport: He often addresses sensitive topics like the mental health of cricketers post-retirement, the "outrage industry" in sports broadcasting, and the impact of fan-wars on the game. Tenure and Experience Dwivedi has been with The Indian Express for over three decades. This experience allows him to provide historical context to modern sporting events, often comparing current crises or triumphs to those of previous generations. You can follow his latest work and columns on his official Indian Express Author Profile. ... Read More