Report: Ranji Trophy 2012-13 Final – Day 3
First Published : 28 Jan 2013, 16:10
Last Modified : 28 Jan 2013, 16:45
Mumbai redefined the word ruthlessness en route to their 40th Ranji Trophy title. The most dominant team in the history of the coveted tournament handed out a royal thrashing to Saurashtra and won the final by an innings and 125 runs at the Wankhede Stadium with two days to spare
When Dhawal Kulkarni lured 10th man Dharmendrasinh Jadeja into edging one to wicketkeeper Aditya Tare, his team-mates flocked him to celebrate an inspired triumph. The wicket also gave Kulkarni a five-wicket haul in the final.
Chasing a first-innings lead of 207, Saurashtra succumbed to the Mumbai pacers and their opponents’ sheer will to win. Dhawal Kulkarni, who rued missing out on a five-wicket haul in the first innings, achieved the magic-numbers in the second in style. His spell of 5 for 32 was instrumental in skittling Saurashtra out for 82 in 36.3 overs.
Used to batting on the Rajkot featherbed the visitors struggled to no end in conditions that offered a bit to the pace bowlers right through. Ajit Agarkar and Dhawal Kulkarni picked three wickets each to send Saurashtra’s top six packing for mere 20 runs.
Agarkar got the openers, Sitanshu Kotak and Sandip Jogiyani, caught behind and wrapped Aarpit Vasavada lbw.
Kulkarni induced an edge to gully off Rahul Dave before disturbing the timber behind Jaydev Shah and Sheldon Jackson.
Abhishek Nayar made an entry by having Kamlesh Makvana caught at first slip with an out-swinger. Not one Saurashtra batsman out of the top seven reached double figures. The top-score of the innings came from Jadeja, who scraped out a fighting 22.
Earlier, after restricting Saurashtra’s first innings score to 148, Mumbai were propelled by their trusted veteran, Wasim Jaffer. Ever so hungry for runs, Jaffer notched up his 32nd Ranji Trophy hundred – most by any batsman in the tournament’s history.
His solid 132 earned Mumbai a healthy and eventually title-winning first-innings lead, crushing Saurashtra’s dream of a fairytale ending to an excellent season.
Man of the Match: Wasim Jaffer for his knock of 132 that ensured Mumbai didn’t have to bat twice before taking the Ranji Trophy title.
Brief Scores:
Day 3: Saurashtra 2nd innings – 82/10 (Kulkarni 5/32, Agarkar 4/15) lose to Mumbai 1st innings 355/10 (Jaffer 132) by an innings and 125 runs
Day 2: Mumbai 1st innings - 287/6 (Jaffer 132, Jadeja 2/96)
Day 1: Saurashtra 1st innings - 148 all out (Vasavada 55; Kulkarni 4/24, Dabholkar 2/14, Nayar 2/30); Mumbai 1stinnings - 19/0 (Jaffer 11, Pawar 4)
