Mumbai vs Vidarbha, Ranji Trophy Final Day 1 Highlights: VID 31/3 after Shardul fifty takes Mumbai to 224

Mumbai has clawed right back into the contest courtesy of its pacers in the final hour of the day. Shardul Thakur produced a gobsmacking half century which pulled Mumbai along to 224, a total which, after Mumbai’s bowlers display, looks to be more than a fighting score. Thirteen wickets went down on the first day and Atharva Taide would need some lower order resistance to help Vidarbha get as close, or even past, the home team’s total.

Deshpande to Taide, FOUR! Driven away through covers. Two runs more through the cover region, does not have the same venom as the previous shot but still enough to run two. Taide places the fifth delivery through mid wicket and gets a single.

Kulkarni continues. On Taide’s pads and he guides it towards the fine leg region; one run. WICKET! Karun Nair is caught behind. Another batter falls fending in the fourth-stump channel.

Karun Nair c Tamore b Kulkarni 0 (12)

Aditya Thakare promoted for the closing minutes of the day.

First change for Mumbai, Tushar Deshpande in for Shardul Thakur. Taide trickles the final delivery of the over down to third man for one run. 

Mumbai has gone up for another review. Taide misses his on-side swipe and is struck on the pad. But the third umpire’s check shows there is an inside edge. Taide survives.

Shardul to Taide, runs the first delivery down to fine leg for a single.

Kulkarni to continue. WICKET! Mokhade cannot help but chase a wide delivery. No control over it, gets an edge and Tamore gets a simple catch.

Aman Mokhade c Tamore b Kulkarni 8 (15)

Karun Nair walks out to bat.

CHANCE! Taide’s front foot punch down the ground off Shardul is hangs in the air. It goes to the right of Shardul who gets a hand to it but cannot hold on. Two runs for Taide through covers.

FOUR! Mokhade now through the off side. Perfect timing on this to beat Rahane who was chasing this cover drive from mid off.

Shardul to Taide, FOUR! Sublime! In the slot and Taide presents the full blade to drive it through mid off. Another run for Taide with a clip through on side. FOUR more! Mokhade with a gentle flick through mid wicket. Shardul paying for straying on the pads.

Taide flicks a delivery on his pads to pick his second run in this Kulkarni over. A no-ball in the over too.

Dhruv Shorey is surprised by a delivery that comes back into him sharply. Mumbai has gone up for a review. Three reds on the ball tracker and its a duck for the former Delhi batter.

Dhruv Shorey lbw b Shardul 0 (3)

Aman Mokhade is the new batter. Nearly hands an edge to the keeper off the final delivery.

Dhawal Kulkarni to share the new ball. BEATEN! Taide’s goes in for a drive but the ball moves away from him. A maiden over to start for Kulkarni.

Shardul Thakur to Taide. A single off an inside edge on the final delivery of the over. 

Atharva Taide and Dhruv Shorey set out for Vidarbha. 

SHARDUL PERISHES! The field on the on side is set at the boundary. Shardul still tries to take his chances and clear the fence, holes out at deep mid wicket after a top edge.

Shardul Thakur c Dubey b Umesh 75 (69)

Thakare to Shardul. One run after Shardul fails to connect with a swipe towards the on side.

Umesh to continue. WICKET! Deshpande is run out! What a freak dismissal. Shardul drives back down the ground but the ball just flicks the outer side of the boot as he pokes it out to stop the ball. Deshpande’s bat is found in the air as the ball gets the wickets. A lengthy check by the third umpire and he confirms his call.

Tushar Deshpande run out (Yadav) 14 (34)

FOUR! Shardul with an elegant drive wide of the long off fielder. Dhawal Kulkarni comes on strike after a delivery down leg gets Mumbai a bye.

Thakare to Shardul, one run with a clip to fine leg. Deshpande uses his wrists to clip the ball through mid on, but the fielder at the position keeps the shot down to one. Shardul’s miscues his drive, the ball takes an inside edge and rolls down to mid on for one run.

Umesh Yadav back into the attack. Two singles for Shardul, one for Deshpande.

Only two singles from Thakare’s over.

SIX! Shardul heaves this delivery pitched outside the leg stump over long on after stepping down the wicket. Very smartly, he picks a single on the next ball. Deshpande nudges to long on on the final delivery.

How long can Shardul Thakur keep his side batting? Tushar Deshpande looks good company for him. It’s past 200 now and should set 250 as the next target.

Last over of the session, which Dubey will bowl. FOUR! There’s a deep square and deep mid wicket in place, yet Shardul times his sweep well enough to breach the fence between the two. Two hundred up for Mumbai. Edge and past the slips; two runs more for Shardul.

Thakare to Shardul, one run through covers. FOUR! After four dot deliveries, Deshpande goes ahead with a full swing on a full delivery.

Harsh Dubey back into the attack. Deshpande on strike. A maiden over.

Yash to continue. FOUR! Deshpande gets into the act now. Makes use of an over-pitched delivery and drives through covers. Seven runs from the over.

SIX! Another step out hoist down the ground off Sarwate for Shardul. Taps the next through covers for a 37-ball fifty. Tushar Deshpande gets off the mark with a single.

Kotian faces Yash, FOUR! Driven through covers. WICKET! Yash has another breakthrough. Kotian tries to drive but hands a feather to the keeper. 

Tanush Kotian c Wadkar b Yash 8 (12)

Just three singles from Sarwate’s over.

Yash to Shardul, CHANCE! Yash bangs it short outside the off stump line. Shardul has a punch at it and gets an edge. The ball flies over the gully fielder and reaches the boundary. Another edge, another FOUR! Shardul is using his luck here. Eleven runs from the over.

Sarwate to Thakur, a sweep through mid wicket to pick two runs. Thakur plays to long off for another run. Kotian with a drive down the ground to make it four runs from the over.

Yash Thakur fires one in the block hole, and Mulani cannot meet it with his bat. Vidarbha has gone up for a review. It looks like it is going down leg. No, it is not. Three reds on the ball tracker and Shams Mulani has to walk back.

Shams Mulani lbw b Yash 13 (37)

Tanush Kotian in now. MIX UP! Shardul sets off from the non-striker’s end as Kotian punches through point. Kotian is not interested while his partner is more than half way down the track. Taide makes the throw and had he connected, it was curtains on Thakur’s innings.

A change in bowling. Aditya Sarwate for the first time. SIX! Shardul Thakur is not going to relent. A dance down the track to loft this full length delivery over long on. Ten runs from the over.

A change in bowling. Yash Thakur replaces Harsh Dubey. FOUR! Shardul takes a swing at a wide delivery. He gets an edge but its well wide of second slip and runs away to the fence. Shardul drives down the ground but the boundary is denied as the ball crashes into the stumps at the non-striker’s end. FOUR! Cracked away over mid wicket with a pull shot. Ten runs from the over.

Dubey to Shardul, hangs back in the crease and punches down the ground for a single. Mulani late cuts on the final delivery for the second run of the over.

Back-to-back maiden overs from Aditya Thakare.

FOUR! Shardul sweeps hard at a full delivery against Dubey.

SIX! Mulani steps out against Dubey and packs him straight over his head. The first six of the innings. A quick single to mid off to finish.

Thakare starts the over with a no ball. Shams Mulani is trapped in front but the umpire denies the appeal. Vidarbha goes up for a review. The doubt there seems to be about where the ball pitched. The ball tracker shows it pitched outside leg, and Mulani survives. He finally gets off the mark with a glance down fine leg. Shardul plays with soft hands, punches through covers for one run. A single for Mulani to mid off to end the over.

Dubey to continue against Rahane. OUT! The Mumbai slide continues. He looks to take the aerial route and clear the mid off fielder. But Dhruv Shorey gets to his left and pulls a brilliant catch.

Ajinkya Rahane c Shorey b Dubey 7 (35)

Shardul Thakur up next. Off the mark straight away with a couple through mid wicket. FOUR! Shardul plays the same shot which brought Rahane’s wicket. Steps out and lofts it in the air wide of the long off fielder.

Thakare to Tamore again. GONE! Tamore gets a faint outside edge on a delivery which seams away, and Wadkar completes the catch. The persistence pays off for Vidarbha. Half the side is back in the hut. 

Hardik Tamore c Wadkar b Thakare 5 (41)

Shams Mulani comes in next.

Dubey again, Rahane on strike. Chance gone! Rahane is done by the turn on his attempted drive and his backfoot drags out of the crease. But Wadkar fails to pouch the ball behind the stumps and fails to stump the Mumbai captain. An appeal for LBW too in the over but Rahane is saved by the inside edge.

Thakare to Tamore. The second straight over where the batter is contend to play out a maiden.

Rahane pounces onto a full-ish delivery from Harsh Dubey and drives through covers. He does not quite middle it, and gets only one run from it. Tamore picks a single on the final delivery to keep strike.

Aditya Thakare sticks to the channel outside off for all six deliveries. He lures Tamore into a couple of false shots but none which could get an edge. A maiden over to begin the second session.

Rahane and Tamore to continue looking for a way out of the lean patch for Mumbai.

Aditya Thakare will bowl the first over of the afternoon session.

A session of two halves, really. The way the Mumbai openers got off, it seemed there was nothing in the pitch for the bowlers. The bowlers did not help themselves by straying in line. But the collapse started with Yash Thakur getting Bhupen Lalwani caught behind. Harsh Dubey posed all sorts of trouble for the Mumbai batters with his grip and turn, accounting for Prithvi Shaw and Musheer Khan. Umesh Yadav then had Shreyas Iyer hole out at first slip to plunge Mumbai further into a rut. Ajinkya Rahane and Hardik Tamore were able to arrest the slide but will they really be able to continue through the second session, is what will set the tone of the day.

Dubey again. Two slips and a silly point in place for Tamore. He misses a delivery down leg and Wadkar takes the bails off as Tamore fails to keep balance. The third umpire, though, checks for a stumping and the backfoot stays grounded. Clips the second delivery on the on side for one. Rahane defends but an inside edge takes the ball through fine leg, allowing him to run one.

Rahane faces Umesh. He gets width on offer and cuts it through point; but only for one run. Tamore gets the final ball on his pads which he glides through mid on for three runs.

Dubey to Rahane, CHANCE! He tries to work it away on the on side and gets a leading edge. The ball loops up but falls just short of the mid off fielder. Rahane taps the third through cover for a single. Tamore misses a back-foot punch, lucky not to get an edge.

Umesh to Rahane, one run with a clip to deep mid wicket. Five dot balls for Tamore bring the over to a close.

Rahane picks a leg-bye off Dubey to get his side to 100. 

Umesh Yadav back into the attack for his third spell. WICKET, CAUGHT AT SLIP! Shreyas Iyer fends away from his body, the edge flies to first slip.

Shreyas Iyer c Nair b Yadav 7 (15)

Hardik Tamore at No. 6. A wicket maiden from Umesh on his comeback.

Dubey to Shreyas, one run through covers. NEARLY! Rahane’s half-hearted cut shot takes a thick inside edge. The ball is headed in the direction of the stumps but goes over the top.

Thakur back into the attack. And he starts with a bouncer against Shreyas. Surprise, surprise! FOUR! Thakur tries the double bluff with a full delivery but Shreyas is upto it and puts it away down the ground. A single off the next.

DUBEY STRIKES AGAIN! MUSHEER IS GIVEN LEG BEFORE. Vidarbha right back into the contest. It is a straight delivery which does not turn, Musheer attempts to clip it with soft hands but gets the timing wrong, plumb in front of the stumps.

Musheer Khan lbw b Dubey 6 (12)

Shreyas Iyer joins Rahane. Opens his account with a drive through point, picking a single.

SHAW FALLS! Dubey with the wicket. He goes for an expansive slog sweep, misses the shot and the ball creeps under his bat and breaks the stumps.

Prithvi Shaw b Dubey 46 (63)

In comes captain Ajinkya Rahane. He could do with some runs here. Off the mark with a flick through mid wicket off his first delivery. Musheer drives for a single. Rahane works the penultimate delivery through mid on; one run.

Yash to Shaw, one run with a clip off his toes. Five dots for Musheer.

Musheer Khan joins Shaw. Dubey continues. Shaw starts the over with a single. Musheer with a tap through mid wicket to get off the mark. FOUR! Musheer paddle sweeps on a delivery angling down leg.

Yash Thakur replacing Umesh Yadav. Lalwani on strike, edged but does not carry to the keeper. Lalwani punches the next delivery through covers and runs two. WICKET! Yash gets the vital breakthrough. He invites Lalwani into a lean forward. The ball pitches and seams away, taking the outside edge and going to the keeper. A good low catch from Wadkar.

Bhupen Lalwani c Wadkar b Yash 37 (64)

Dubey back for his fourth over. FOUR! Shaw waits for the ball to reach him, and then cuts it past the backward point fielder.

Umesh to Lalwani. A couple of swing-and-misses from this maiden over. Umesh finally lands it consistently in the off stump channel.

Yash to Shaw. Bangs in a bouncer to start the over, Shaw ducks. Flicks the third ball behind square to pick a single. Edged and FOUR! Lalwani’s drive runs away between gully and second slip. A single to end the over, six runs from it.

Umesh for his seventh over. Looking in control of his line as he allows just three singles from his over.

Yash Thakur for the first time today. FOUR! Gifts a full toss to Shaw to start his day. Another one. The last drive was through mid off, this one is through mid on. A single to finish the over. Nine came off it.

Umesh again. He finally sticks to the stump-line for six deliveries of the over, giving away just two runs.

Dubey to Shaw, one run off the first delivery with a drive through cover. Lalwani steps out to glide the ball through mid on; gets just one run. Another leading edge off an attempted slog sweep from Shaw, no fielder in the deep and the batter picks two.

Umesh Yadav back into the attack now, replacing Thakare. Flicks the third delivery through mid wicket but the fielder in the deep keeps it down to one. It is a no-ball too. Lawani sends the fifth to fine leg for one run, and brings up the fifty-run stand. Shaw cuts the last ball for another single.

Dubey to Lalwani, pokes the delivery through extra cover for a single. Shaw goes on his back foot to cut the fifth delivery, there is deep cover in place to stop that shot; just one off it.

Thakare to continue. FOUR! Overpitched from the bowler, Lalwani leans onto his front foot to drive it through mid off. Seven runs from the over.

First bowling change, Harsh Dubey replaces Umesh Yadav. CHANCE! Shaw miscues his slog sweep, but the top edge beats the mid on fielder; two runs. Sharp turn on offer for the left-arm off-spinner there. Just two from the over.

Thakare to continue. Shaw cuts the second ball to deep cover for a single.. Lalwani clips through mid wicket for two runs.

Umesh to Shaw, one run off the first delivery with a drive through cover. Lalwani glances the fourth delivery down to fine leg for a single. Shaw gets room to drive and he does so with elan. Yash Thakur with a splendid effort to keep the shot down to three runs.

Shaw taps a delivery outside off from Thakare through point for a single. The first bit of movement off the surface, draws Lalwani into a forward defence and then leaves the batter.

Umesh to Lalwani, angling down on the pads again, Lalwani works it away for two runs. Yet again, Umesh makes an error with his line, offers a freebie on the pads and Lalwani very gracefully picks up another boundary.

Much better control from Thakare in this over as he gives away just two runs.

FOUR! Umesh strays on the pads again and this time Shaw does not miss out on the flick through square leg. Three more singles from the over.

Aditya Thakare from the other end. Lalwani on strike for the first time. FOUR! An. overpitching delivery angling into the batter first up, dispatches it through mid wicket. He flicks the third delivery behind square to pick a couple. Another clip through the on side from Lalwani gets him two more from the over.

Umesh to Shaw, on the pads and Shaw misses his flick. The second one is on the pads again and Shaw is rushed into his clip shot, not managing to connect. FOUR! Width on offer and Shaw drives it through the covers.

Prithvi Shaw and Bhupen Lalwani make their way to the square to start the proceedings for Mumbai.

For Vidarbha, it is Umesh Yadav with the new ball.

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Tushar Deshpande eyes Ranji Trophy title with Mumbai to take another step towards realising the Indian dream

Having been a part of two losing finals, Deshpande is desperate to go all the way and end the Ranji Trophy 2023-24 on a high, with his team Mumbai playing Vidarbha on Sunday.

Vidarbha: Yash Dubey, Atharva Taide, Aman Mokhade, Yash Rathod, Karun Nair, Akshay Wadkar, Aditya Sarvate, Yash Thakur, Harsh Dubey, Umesh Yadav, Aditya Thakare.

Mumbai: Prithvi Shaw, Hardik Tamore, Bhupen Lalwani, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Musheer Khan, Shams Mulani, Shardul Thakur, Dhawal Kulkarni, Tushar Deshpande, Tanush Kotian

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Confident that our youngsters won’t be overawed by Ranji Trophy final: Vidarbha bowler Wakhare

The veteran offie is confident that the ghosts of 2013-14, when Vidarbha was undone by a well-oiled Mumbai in the first-ever clash between the two teams, will have no bearing on this final.

So, it seems the Mumbai pacer will have a final match to say goodbye as he slots into the side in place of Mohit Avasthi.

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Ranji Trophy 2024 Final: Mumbai vs Vidarbha - Top five players to watch out for in the summit clash

Mumbai will look to secure a record-extending 42nd Ranji Trophy title, when it takes on Vidarbha in the 2023/24 season final, at the Wankhede Stadium, on Sunday.

Vidarbha wins the toss, opts to bowl.

Mumbai: Prithvi Shaw, Bhupen Lalwani, Musheer Khan, Mohit Avasthi, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Tamore(w), Shams Mulani, Shardul Thakur, Tanush Kotian, Tushar Deshpande, Sylvester DSouza, Suved Parkar, Amogh Bhatkal, Prasad Pawar, Suryansh Shedge, Atharva Ankolekar, Shivam Dube, Jay Gokul Bista, Royston Dias, Dhawal Kulkarni

Vidarbha: Atharva Taide, Dhruv Shorey, Aman Mokhade, Karun Nair, Yash Rathod, Akshay Wadkar(w/c), Aditya Sarwate, Akshay Wakhare, Yash Thakur, Umesh Yadav, Aditya Thakare, Faiz Fazal, Sanjay Raghunath, Rajneesh Gurbani, Lalit M Yadav, Siddhesh Wath, Darshan Nalkande, Mohit Kale, Harsh Dubey, Jitesh Sharma, Shubham Dubey

There is so much similarity and so many differences in what would be the last match – the Ranji Trophy final - of yet another gruelling senior domestic cricket season.

They belong to the same state. They speak the same language. But that’s where the similarities end, especially in cricket parlance, for Mumbai and Vidarbha.

The differences are stark, as stark as the one between Mumbai and any other domestic side.

Mumbai has won the glittering trophy a whopping 41 times and will be featuring in its 48th final of the 89 editions.

CHECK OUT AMOL KARHADKAR’S FULL PREVIEW - READ

The live streaming of the Mumbai vs Vidarbha Ranji Trophy Final will be available on JioCinema. The match can also be streamed live on Sports18.

Hello and welcome to Sportstar’s live coverage of the Ranji Trophy 2023-24 final played between Mumbai and Vidarbha at the Wankhede Stadium. 

Stay tuned as we bring you all the live updates.