Hyderabad continue to fumble against bogey side Mumbai

An unfortunate mixup beween Mohd. Azharuddin and VVS Laxman left Hyderabad with their backs to the corner in the summit clash of the Ranji Trophy at Mumbai on Thursday. Having put on a fluent 89 run partnership for the third wicket and looking good for many more, Azhar patted the ball down the pitch and hastily called Laxman for a single. With the proliferation of one day matches all over the place, perhaps he momentarily came under the misconception that the Ranji Trophy too was a limited overs phenomenon.

In any case, after running in haste, he was to repent at leisure as the bowler Paras Mhambrey was prowling in the neighbourhood of where the ball had been played and smartly threw it to Samir Dighe to end Laxman's stay at the wicket. Laxman had his doubts about the run and went so far as to put a hand up to restrain Azhar before going ahead against his better judgement and signing his own death warrant in the process.

Azhar surely must have had reverberations of guilt after that episode and it showed in his game. Without the reassuring influence of Laxman at the other end, Azhar had to bat with the millstones of application and responsibility around his neck. After escaping a stumping chance off Rajesh Pawar, his innings of 76 ended with a whimper as he failed to give a wide delivery outside off stump the wide berth it deserved. The lower order was hardly well equipped to negotiate the wiles of Pawar and Ajit Agarkar and Hyderabad finished 181 runs in arrears after the last six wickets tumbled for 29 runs.

Earlier in the day the Hyderabad attack had allowed Paras Mhambrey to lead a tailend recovery that elevated Mumbai's total to a handsome 376. Both Nandakishore at short leg and Riaz Sheikh behind the sticks had generously provided Mhambrey with a lease of life on the first day and Hyderabad's collective blood pressure must have mounted as the batsman made his way to 75. As in the semifinals Venkatapathi Raju and Fiaz Ahmed were the most impressive bowlers for Hyderabad but one wonders what happened to Raju's spin twin, Kanwaljit Singh, who seemed unable to weave the spell of magic that has netted him 58 wickets in the Ranji Trophy this season. On a wicket offering plenty of assistance to the slow men, it is upto Raju and Kanwaljit to ensure that the lead does not swell into an insurmountable proposition as they square off against Mumbai's cream on the third day.