Mumbai lead by 106 after dismissing Rest of India for 202

Close, Day 2 Mumbai 297 and 11 for 0 lead Rest of India 202 all out (Dravid 41; Powar 4-61) by 106 runs
Scorecard

Virender Sehwag inside-edges onto his leg stump for 16 © AFP

Mumbai came storming back on the second afternoon to wrest control of the Irani Trophy tie at Chepauk. Ramesh Powar was the unlikely hero, winkling out Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh - finishing with 4 for 61 - as the Rest of India's highly rated batting line-up was decimated by some accurate, aggressive bowling. At close of play, Mumbai were 11 for 0 in their second innings, having established a first-innings lead of 95.

After going to lunch at 62 for 1, the Rest of India resumed with few worries. Dravid had played some superb strokes and looked thoroughly at ease, until he leaned too far forward to flick Powar through the leg side. The ball was travelling at a fair clip, but Sachin Tendulkar threw himself to his right at midwicket to pouch a stunning catch (87 for 2). Dravid made 41.

Sanjay Bangar, who had stuck around like a limpet - showing signs of intent only against Sairaj Bahutule, whom he whacked for six and four - was the next man to depart, tamely edging one from Robin Morris through to Vinayak Mane at first slip (89 for 3).

If that put the match on an even keel, Sourav Ganguly's dismissal put Mumbai right on top. Ganguly lasted only four balls before a flighted delivery from Powar tempted him into a flashing drive. The edge was smartly taken by Nishit Shetty at short gully (90 for 4).

VVS Laxman then set about trying to imitate a strokeless wonder, while Yuvraj Singh tried to up the ante with some fine strokes through cover and midwicket. But Mumbai never slackened their grip, with Powar and Morris particularly impressive.

Laxman's labour lasted 53 balls, and realised a paltry 5 before he casually dabbed at a delivery on off stump from Ajit Agarkar. Powar took the catch, and Mumbai whooped it up. Then, moments before tea, came the final setback. Powar, bowling round the wicket, got one to turn and bounce sharply on Yuvraj, who had made 27, and the nick was well taken by Wasim Jaffer at slip (125 for 6).

Anil Kumble was leg-before to a wickedly reverse-swung yorker from Agarkar (134 for 7), and when Harbhajan Singh's ludicrous attempt to reverse-sweep Powar saw him trapped in front (141 for 8), it appeared as though the Rest would finish more than 150 adrift. But Parthiv Patel, who played some pleasing cuts, and Zaheer Khan had other ideas.

Patel made a compact 26 before edging one from Aavishkar Salvi through to Vinayak Samant behind the stumps (159 for 9). But that merely set the stage for Zaheer, who thumped Powar for two sixes and a four before twice carving Salvi down to third man. He made a bright and breezy 34 (41 balls) before an attempt to slog Bahutule out of the ground skyed to Shetty at point.

Morris had earlier helped his team add 25 runs to the overnight 272 for 9. Once touted as an Indian allround hopeful, Morris did his cause no harm at all by clouting Kumble for two fours - through midwicket and over cover - in his first over of the morning. He followed that up with a huge six in Kumble's next over, advancing down the track to hammer the ball over long-on.

Morris also protected Salvi, and the partnership started to prove a nuisance for the Rest of India. He was fortunate, though, to survive a loud shout for caught behind, when a Zaheer delivery appeared to kiss the glove. But his luck didn't last. Balaji, who had come on to bowl in place of Kumble, pitched one up, and Morris's attempted cover-drive flew high to Harbhajan at deep extra cover. Morris made 31 and took Mumbai within a whisker of 300.

Sehwag started the reply with a cracking shot over point off Salvi, and followed it up with fours through square leg and mid-off. But when he attempted to cut a Salvi delivery that was too close to his body, he could only inside-edge onto his leg stump (16 for 1).

But though Agarkar started off with four successive maidens, Salvi couldn't keep the batsmen under any real pressure. Dravid was equally ruthless on pace and spin, and with even Bangar joining in the savaging of Bahutule, it was a dark picture for Mumbai at lunch. But then came the turnaround, and it's hard to see where the Rest of India will find inspiration from now.