Ranji Trophy: Goa in driver's seat against Mumbai after Lakshay, Amit show

Goa had one of the most memorable days in its cricket history, having put powerhouse Mumbai under pressure on the opening day of its league game.

Amit Yadav (left) and Lakshay Garg in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

Riding on heroics by Lakshay Garg (6/46) and Amit Yadav (4/47), Goa had one of the most memorable days in its cricket history, having put powerhouse Mumbai under pressure on the opening day of its league game.

Thanks to the right-arm pacer Garg and experienced offspinner Yadav’s heroics, Mumbai was bundled out for 163 after electing to bat at the Narendra Modi Stadium main ground. Opener Amogh Desai’s unbeaten fifty (51*, 106b, 7x4) then ensured that Goa sailed within touching distance of Mumbai’s total, ending the day at 114 for two.

While Yadav played a perfect support cast to an on-song Garg, Mumbai couldn’t withstand the accurate bowling attack. No doubt the 41-times champion will feel hard done by with a couple of iffy umpiring decisions, including that of Ajinkya Rahane. Still, the fact that five Mumbai batters were dismissed for a duck is a testimony to their lack of application and Goa’s accurate bowling.

Barring Sarfaraz Khan (63, 110b, 9x4), who was livid with himself after perishing while attempting a scoop while running out of partners - none of Mumbai’s specialist batters could convert their starts. Captain Prithvi Shaw was the first to perish, nicking Garg to Darshan
Misal in the slip cordon in the fourth over.

Aakarshit Gomel, who was yet again preferred over Yashasvi Jaiswal, and southpaw Sachin Yadav survived for the next 45 minutes until Gomel was dismissed, thanks to wicketkeeper Eknath Kerkar’s lunging catch off Garg.

Three balls later, Rahane shouldered arms off one that slightly came in and umpire Kamlesh Sharma upheld the appeal despite the ball kissing the thigh-pad of Rahane’s right leg. Sarfaraz then staged the recovery with Yadav looking steady at the other end.

Garg, having hurt his ankle after tumbling in his follow-through in his seventh over, returned to bowl after lunch. But it was Yadav who broke the 75-run partnership, trapping his surname-sake lbw.  Since then, Mumbai lost five wickets for 18 runs in 40 balls as it slipped to 123 for eight. Had it not been for Tanush Kotian’s blows off slower bowlers, with Garg having done his hip in this time around, Mumbai would have struggled to cross the 150-run mark.

But with Goa batters adopting an aggressive approach, it looks like Mumbai’s bowlers will have to repeat their Goa counterparts’ heroics early on Day 2 to get itself back in the game.