Two-run loss for Mumbai

January 14: Madhya Pradesh stormed into the final of the Wills Trophy limited over championship when they edged out Mumbai by two runs in...

January 14: Madhya Pradesh stormed into the final of the Wills Trophy limited over championship when they edged out Mumbai by two runs in a gripping semifinal at the Barabati Stadium here today.

After setting their opponents a stiff target of 272 runs in 50 overs 8212; left-handed Amay Khurasia lit up the stadium with brilliant strokeplay while making 107 8212; the MP bowlers survived a late order rally by the Mumbai tail enders who almost snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

Mumbai batted well till the midway and were apparently cruising at 135 for two in the 25th over, but collapsed to 224 for nine with less than five overs to go.

Though the MP team was almost sure of victory, tall left-arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni upset all calculations as he blasted the bowling to collect 31 runs off just 17 balls to add 45 runs with Paras Mhambrey for the last wicket.

At one time, it appeared that Mumbai would scrape to victory but the chase ended three runs short of the target when Mhambrey was run out while going for a non-existent second run off the penultimate ball of the match. Mumbai were bowled out for 269 with a ball remaining.

Kulkarni, who hit three massive sixes and a four, spread panic among the MP fielders as the last pair snatched 16 runs in the 49th over bowled by leg-spinner Narendra Hirwani.

Scoreboard

Madhya Pradesh: CP Sahu c Joglekar b Mhambrey 7, JP Yadav b Mhambrey 10, A Khurasia c Amre b Kulkarni 107, A Ali c Bahutule b Kuruvilla 17, S Sahu c kambli b Dani 2, D Bundela b Bahutule 53, R Ali camp;b Kulkarni 27, R Chouhan c Amre b Kulkarni 8, HS Sodhi not out 10, S Pandey not out 3. Extras lb12, w14, nb1: 27.

Total for eight wickets in 50 overs: 271.

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Fall of wickets:1-12, 2-38, 3-76, 4-82, 5-193, 6-223, 7-248, 8-254.

Bowling: Kuruvilla 10-1-44-1, Mhambrey 9-0-61-2, Kulkarni 6-1-31-3, Dani 10-1-33-1, Sutar 10-0-46-0, Bahutule 4-0-35-1, Kambli 1-0-9-0.

Mumbai: M Joglekar b Sodhi 3, R Sutar lbw Chouhan 70, A Muzumdar c Sahu b Pandey 8, P Amre run out 37, V Kambli c Bundela b Pandey 3, S Dighe b.Yadav 11, S Bahutule run out 27, A Dani st Sahu b Hirwani 22, P Mhambrey run out 13, A Kuruvilla b Hirwani 7, N Kulkarni not out 31. Extras b1, lb9, w23, nb4: 37.

Total all out in 49.5 overs: 269.

Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-46, 3-135, 4-140, 5-140, 6-172, 7-205, 8-216, 9-224.

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Bowling: Sodhi 8.5-1-35-1, Pandey 10-0-43-2, Yadav 10-1-56-1, Hirwani 8-0-60-2, Chouhan 10-1-46-1, Bundela 3-0-19-0.