Mumbai registered a resounding innings and 21-run win against Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy 2015-16 final to lift the Trophy for the 41st time. The Aditya Tare-led side’s domination on the third day did not allow the opposition to get a foot in the door after Siddhesh Lad (88) capitalised on the life he got earlier in the day.
While Lad’s innings put Mumbai in a commanding position with a 136-run lead, Shardul Thakur claimed a five-for to bowl the team to yet another three-day win against Saurashtra in the final of the coveted trophy.
Fielding lapses cost Suarashtra dear in the grand finale. After dropping Shreyas Iyer on 34, the No 3 bat ensured Mumbai a first innings lead. Lad who was dropped on 24 on the third morning with the lead all off just 36, went on add 100 runs more to the tally with Balwinder Singh Sandhu.
Lad took on Jaydev Unadkat after Pujara had dropped a sitter off the pacer when the middle-order batsman was on 24 and Mumbai on 271 for nine. He slammed the left-arm pacer for a couple of boundaries later in the over as he looked to add quick runs and extend the lead. In the bowler’s next over he lofted Unadkat over long-on and mid-wicket to collect back-to-back sixes. The pair plundered runs off the Saurashtra bowlers as they extended the lead past the three-figure mark.
Lad’s gutsy innings ensured that Mumbai seized the advantage. The middle-order batsman’s attempt to clear the ropes was caught by Jackson running in from the long-on region to end the stand for the last wicket for 103.
In the process, the pair set a new record for the partnership for the tenth wicket for Mumbai surpassing the previous one between Ashok Mankad & Sushil Sanghvi against Gujarat at Ahmedabad in September 1967 for 87 runs.
With a sizeable lead, Mumbai’s four-pronged pace attack came out all guns blazing. While Sandhu and Dhawal Kulkarni sent back both the Saurashtra openers before lunch, the pace attack claimed six wickets in the second session to bring Mumbai within two wickets of win at Tea.
While Sandhu had Avi Barot trapped leg-before wicket, Sagar Jogiyani pushed the ball towards the slips and Bhavin Thakker did well to take the catch close to the chest leaving Saurashtra on 15 for two.
Pujara and Arpit Vasavda resumed the wobbly innings at 23 for two after Lunch, and Sandhu continuing to hit the deck hard from one end accounted for the latter. Wickets tumbled after that as the Jaydev Shah-led team were left reeling at 97 for eight at Tea.
While Pujara toiled with Sheldon Jackson to keep the innings afloat, the partnership was ended on 24 as Abhishek Nayar forced a nick from the latter through to the wicketkeeper. After 19 runs, Pujara handed a catch to gully off Shardul Thakur. The pacer then forced an edge from Jaydev Shah to Aditya Tare behind the wickets.
When play resumed for the third session, Thakur claimed the remaining two wickets to bowl Mumbai to a thumping win. While Deepak Punia was done in by the bouncer, Hardik Rathod was yorked by the pacer to bring the curtains down on the final in less than three days.
Result: Mumbai won by innings and 21 runs
Brief scores:
Day 3: Mumbai 1st inn 371/10 in 82.2 overs (S Lad 88, B Sandhu 34, J Unadkat 4/118); Saurashtra 2nd inn 115/10 in 48.2 ( C Pujara 27, S Thakur 5/26, B Sandhu 2/21, D Kulkarni 2/34)
Day 2: Saurashtra 1st inn 235/10 93.2 overs (P Mankad 66, J Unadkat 31, D Kulkarni 5/42, S Thakur 3/89); Mumbai 1st inn 262/8 in 66 overs (S Iyer 117, S Yadav 48, S Lad 22*, H Rathod 3/44, C Jani 2/46, J Unadkat 2/55) Lead by 27 runs.
Day 1: Saurashtra 1st inn 192/8 in 84.4 overs (A Vasavada 77, P Mankad 55*, D Kulkrani 4/30 , S Thakur 2/59)
