Mumbai, Jan 29: Akash Parker claimed four wickets after lunch to help Mumbai gain a useful 23-run first-innings lead over arch rivals Maharashtra in the Under-19 Cooch Behar Elite encounter being played at the Wankhede stadium. The medium pacer first removed Maharashtra’s top-scorer Shubham Ranjane (47) in his spell of 4.1 – 1- 6 – 4 while skipper Harmeet Singh dismissed the dangerous looking Kazi Shamsu Zuma (14).
The Parker show was on full display after sloppy Mumbai fielding in the morning session allowed Maharashtra to reach 123 for the loss of five wickets. In his interaction with the media, ‘Peter’ Parker, as he is called by his teammates, said that he was a batsman who plays the role of an all-rounder in the team.
Excerpts from a brief interview at stumps:
On the inspired second session for the Mumbai team
We had decided not to give easy runs. Taking a wicket is not always in our hands; the more runs we saved, [the more we would frustrate them and] they would give away their wickets – we knew that.
On whether he was focussing on a specific line or length
I was focussing on bowling at a length. I had bowled well in the first session. After lunch it wasn’t going so well so I kept to a line and got wickets.
On the wicket of Kazi
It was important because they needed about 20 runs and the way he was hitting the ball, they could have reached there easily. Harmeet [Singh] also took one wicket and I got wickets so that felt good.
On getting a marginal first-innings lead
Getting a 20 run lead after making 173 is very important and now we have got a good start too. Scoring 90 without losing a wicket [at the end of day’s play is a good start]. We will try to play the whole day tomorrow.
On whether he was concentrating on pace or movement
I have been focussing more on the movement. Earlier I had only one kind of swing but now after working with the coach I am able to swing the ball both ways.
On working on his fitness as a medium pacer
Actually, I am purely a batsman. The coach and captain have confidence in my bowling so they have [asked me to bowl] at crucial times in matches.
On whether there was any difference in the wicket between yesterday and today
There is not much in the wicket; we made mistakes in the first innings [while batting], but we have bowled well. There was a little problem while fielding but we recovered well. The keeper had also dropped one catch earlier but took a brilliant one later.
