They were marking different ‘firsts’ but the all-rounder duo of Shivam Dube and Suryansh Shedge bailed Mumbai out of trouble with a quickfire partnership against Bengal on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy Group B tie.
Riding on captain Dube and debutant Shedge’s partnership of 144 runs off just 142 balls, Mumbai finished an overcast day at the Eden Gardens at a strong 330 for six.
A hamstring niggle ruled captain Ajinkya Rahane out of the game. Dube, leading Mumbai for the first time, took guard when Mumbai was precariously placed at 87 for four after being inserted in to bat. Bengal had seen the back of Hardik Tamore (caught behind off Suraj Jaiswal) and Prasad Pawar (caught behind off fit-again Ishan Porel) for no run in nine balls.
Dube, the stand-in captain, found Shedge at the other end, who was yet to open his account on debut. But the duo took an aggressive approach, and the counter-attack worked to perfection as Bengal found itself lost in the gloom. Captain Manoj Tiwary tried various tactics, but the left- and right-handed combination drove with aplomb to take Mumbai to safety.
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When both the batters perished in eight balls, with Jaiswal adding a third scalp, Bengal still had a sniff at restricting Mumbai after reducing the visiting side to 231 for six. But Tanush Kotian – who tonked part-time offie Karan Lal for 19 runs in an over - notched up his fourth fifty of the season and Atharva Ankolekar played a perfect ally as the duo’s unbroken association of 99 runs took Mumbai to safety.
While the duo will be hoping to continue in the same vein in the second morning, Tiwary will be hoping for the early-morning moisture and the second new ball—due in five overs—to do the trick for his team to restrict Mumbai.
Earlier in the morning, after a slightly delayed start due to inclement weather, Prithvi Shaw, playing his first competitive game since last August, and Bhupen Lalwani started on a confident note. However, Jaiswal halted Shaw’s march by forcing a nick off his edge to give wicketkeeper Abhishek Porel his first of three catches.
The scoreboard
Mumbai – 1st innings: Prithvi Shaw c Abhishek b Jaiswal 35, Bhupen Lalwani lbw b Mishra 18, Hardik Tamore c Abhishek b Jaiwal 19, Prasad Pawar c Abhishek b Ishan 9, Suryansh Shedge c Lal b Jaiswal 71, Shivam Dube c Jaiswal b Kaif 72, Tanush Kotian (batting) 55, Atharva Ankolekar (batting) 41.
Extras (b-5, lb-4, w-1): 10
Total (for 6 wkts., 75 overs) 330
Fall of wickets: 1-50, 2-58, 3-87, 4-87, 5-231, 6-231.
Bengal bowling: Jaiswal 26-8-95-3, Ishan 17-3-74-1, Mishra 11-1-51-1, Kaif 15-6-49-1, Tiwary 2-0-17-0, Lal 4-0-35-0.
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