The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Parthiv Patel leads Rest’s strong reply

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Sport - Cricket

Parthiv Patel leads Rest’s strong reply

G. Viswanath

CRICKET / Manoj Tiwary plays supporting role

Rajkot: Parthiv Patel repelled all the attempts from the Mumbai bowlers to finish the second day on a resounding and undefeated 161 that took Rest of India to a fighting 292 for four in the Irani Cup competition here at the Madhavrao Scindia Stadium.

Rest needs exactly the same number of runs Parthiv collected on Sunday to match Mumbai’s first innings score of 453.

Lucky break

Parthiv has to thank one of the Mumbai youngsters, Ajinjya Rahane, whose unintended enthusiasm and bravado at traditional gully, resulted in a collision with Iqbal Abdulla at wide gully and a straightforward catch (coming at a comfortable height to Abdulla) was put down.

The bowler to suffer was Rajesh Verma and Parthiv was on 20. Earlier at the stroke of lunch Parthiv had a lucky escape when Prashant Naik at third slip managed to get only his finger tips to a thick edge that found its way to the fence.

Superb knock

In spite of these two false strokes, it was a superb knock from the resolute man.

Many times he split the cover fielders, especially off the two spinners, Ramesh Powar and Abdulla, and was not afraid to walk down the pitch to the seamers. Parthiv dazzled for 301 minutes, struck 26 fours and after the fall of S. Badrinath at 150, found a composed and competent ally in Manoj Tiwary. Tiwary has so far hit half a dozen fours, two sixes and added 142 runs for the fifth wicket. He edged Powar when on 35, but wicketkeeper Omkar Gurav spilled the catch.

Shaky start

Rest of India made a floundering start, after Mumbai’s lower-order added 68 runs on the second day with Abdulla making a fine half-century.

Aakash Chopra’s dismissal (held at third slip by Naik) was confirmed by the third umpire and Mohammad Kaif fell in Agarkar’s opening burst. Suresh Raina played outside the line to be bowled through the gate and Badrinath, who played some lovely offside shots and a six off Powar was a trifle unlucky to be adjudged leg before.

But Parthiv and Tiwary’s partnership has kept Rest in what has seen an engrossing tussle between the two sides.

The scores:

Mumbai — 1st innings: S. Kukreja (run out) 110, A. Rahane lbw b Bose 52, W. Jaffer c Kaif b Bose 8, A. Muzumdar lbw b Ojha 8, P. Naik lbw b Sharma 12, A. Nayar c Sharma b Ojha 118, R. Powar c Parthiv b Sharma 45, A. Agarkar c Raina b Bose 4, O. Gurav c Parthiv b Sharma 0, I. Abdulla (not out) 56, R. Verma lbw b Mishra 9; Extras (b-2, lb-9, nb-17, w-3) 31; Total (in 101.2 overs) 453.

Fall of wickets: 1-91, 2-109, 3-150, 4-165, 5-336, 6-338, 7-342, 8-359, 9-410.

Rest of India bowling: Munaf 19.5-0-96-0, Bose 25.1-4-106-3, Sharma 22-6-63-3, Ojha 21-0-114-2, Mishra 8.2-0-43-1, Badrinath 5-0-20-0.

Rest of India — 1st innings: Parthiv (batting) 161, A. Chopra c Naik b Verma 0, M. Kaif lbw b Agarkar 18, S. Raina b Verma 17, S. Badrinath lbw b Abdulla 29, M. Tiwary (batting) 56; Extras (lb-5, nb-2, w-4) 11; Total (for four wkts. in 70 overs) 292.

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-33, 3-64, 4-150.

Mumbai bowling: Agarkar 14-2-68-1, Verma 14-2-49-2, Nayar 12-3-48-0, Powar 12-0-68-0, Abdulla 17-3-51-1, Rahane 1-0-3-0.

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