By Moulin Parikh
February 18 2016

In a rematch of a few seasons ago, Mumbai face Saurashtra in the finals.  Once again a few Big names will be missing including Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane from Mumbai and Ravindra Jadeja from Saurashtra, but hopefully Saurashtra will put up a better show than they did in 2012-13 when they were thorougly outclassed by Mumbai who had Tendulkar playing in his last Ranji game.

Forty times champions Mumbai qualified for the Ranji Trophy finals on the basis of the first innings lead against Madhya Pradesh in the second semi-final on Wednesday in Cuttack. Needing 472 runs on the final day, Madhya Pradesh put up a strong fight with Naman Ojha and Harpreet Singh Bhatia scoring centuries. However, with no realistic chance of overhauling to the mammoth target, the match ended in a draw in the third session with MP on 361/5 in 109 overs.

Mumbai will now meet Saurashtra in what will be a repeat of the 2012-13 season. Saurashtra had booked their place in the final - to be played at Pune from February 24-28 - after their easy win over Assam in just three days in the first semi-final in Vadodara.

This will be the 45th appearance in the final of India’s premier domestic competition for Mumbai. The young team led by Aditya Tare were firm favourites after the league stage. Eyeing their sixth outright win this season, Mumbai faced resistance from Naman OJha, who finally got to his first Ranji Trophy this season. His 15th first-class hundred meant Mumbai bowlers had to work extremely hard on the final day after the initial breakthrough in the first hour that saw Aditya Srivastava departing for 68.

Naman put up a solid stand with Harpreet for the fourth wicket. The two added 159 runs which played a major role in Mumbai not getting the outright victory. Once Naman got out to part-time spin of Suryakumar Yadav, Harpreet carried on and brought up his century in 179 balls in the final session. Mumbai used as many as nine bowlers on the day and like Naman, Harpreet too was dismissed by a part-timer. It was Mumbai opener, Bhavin Thakkar, who removed Harpreet after the latter had scored his second straight century.

Brief scores: Madhya Pradesh 227/10 (Naman Ojha 79, Balwinder Sandhu 5-43) and 361/5 (Naman Ojha 113, Harpreet Singh Bhatia 105) drew with Mumbai 371/10 (Shreyas Iyer 90, Aditya Tare 68, Chandrakant Sakhure 5-137) and 426/10 (Suryakumar Yadav 115, Aditya Tare 109, Harpreet Singh Bhatia 3-55).

Forty Times Champions Mumbai Again in Ranji Finals

Discussion started by Indian Cricket Fever (IP Logged), 18/02/2016 17:29

Indian Cricket Fever
18/02/2016 17:29

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2016:04:08:18:35:01 by Birbal.

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Birbal
18/02/2016 17:46

I generally like the idea of neutral grounds for Ranji playoff games...nobody goes to Ranji home games anyway, so no issue of disappointing home fans... but the Final should be played in the stadium of one of the teams... maybe based on who had a better record in the season....

The finals are scheduled to be played in Pune.... guess it could be like a home game for Mumbai...

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ananthd
19/02/2016 00:48

Not sure about that....

I didn't like the idea of even the playoff games played in neutral grounds....

I think home teams will generate greater interest, however marginal it maybe, since the big names don't play domestic cricket anymore....

They really should make it the home ground of the higher seed/better record....

24 needed with a bunny coming in at 11? No problem!

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Birbal
19/02/2016 17:31

It's really sad how few people are actually interested in watching the PREMIERE first class championship of India...

If you are serious cricket fan...this is where you can really learn a lot... and can even get to interact with past, future, and maybe current India team players...

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Birbal
22/02/2016 19:54

Apparently the Pune pitch to be used for the Final is the same one used in the First T20 versus Sri Lanka recently where India's top order was skittled by the rookie Lankan pacers..

The pacers of both sides are licking their lips... Jaydev Unadkat will be the spearhead for Saurashtra...and Shardul Thakkur for Mumbai....

As the curator is one Pandurang Salgaocar...this is not a total surprise...especially to those who know their Indian Cricket history...should be interesting times....

Here is a preview from Sportstar...

[www.sportstarlive.com]

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ananthd
24/02/2016 18:59

Wasn't he the guy who once hit Sunny Gavaskar in a Ranji game?

24 needed with a bunny coming in at 11? No problem!

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ananthd
24/02/2016 19:01

Predictably seems to be a seaming wicket....
Kulkarni gunning for a 5fer...

24 needed with a bunny coming in at 11? No problem!

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Birbal
24/02/2016 22:22

It was not diabolical...just offered good balance between bat and ball...but Indian Domestic batsmen are spoiled by playing on slow low wickets

Was VERY disappointed in both Pujara and Jackson... they were totally overwhelmed by superb line and length bowling by Mumbai seamers...

Kulkarni in particular was McGrath like in his persistent 4th stump line outside off...

He exposed Pujara's huge weakness against the incoming ball...

He bowled ball after ball seaming in...and they tossed one enticingly outside off .. and Pujara thought...Finally! something to drive...but the movement away caused an outside edge..which was gleefully pocketed by the slip fielder.... brilliant strategizing and then executing the strategy by Kulkarni...

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Birbal
25/02/2016 17:28

Quote:

ananthd
Wasn't he the guy who once hit Sunny Gavaskar in a Ranji game?

Actually broke Sunny's thumb prior to Windies tour of 1974-75...

Pandurang was quick but also wayward...and India didn't believe in pure pace back then, and probably only partially believes now under Kohli....

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Birbal
25/02/2016 17:31

Nice article on him...with a rare picture during his bowling prime...

[www.espncricinfo.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016:02:25:17:40:15 by Birbal.

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Birbal
26/02/2016 21:19

Make that FORTY ONE!!!

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