Mumbai forge ahead in keen skirmish

Mumbai opened up a useful 47 run first innings lead on the second day of their Super League match at the Feroze Shah Kotla today after a four wicket haul by off spinner Rajesh Pawar restricted Delhi to 200 all out. By close of play Mumbai's lead had swelled to 140 with eight second innings wickets in hand.

Delhi resumed at 49/3 with the two form players this season, Ashu Dani and Virender Shewag, at the crease. They carried on for another 15.5 overs this morning before Pawar struck first blood to have Shewag caught by keeper Rane for a swiftly accumulated 50 (75 balls, 6 fours, 2 sixes). The partnership between the two had been worth 91.

Rahul Sanghvi found himself promoted ahead of Ajay Sharma and found himself back in the dressing room after one boundary hit. Sharma and Shewag took Delhi safely through to lunch at 152-5. After lunch Dani's stout resistance, which had lasted four and a quarter hours, finally came to an end. His 74 came off 177 balls and included ten boundaries. Dani's fall sparked off a collapse as the last 5 wickets tumbled for 24 runs leaving Ajay Sharma high and dry on 39 not out. Pawar returned figures of 4-64.

In the 36 overs that Delhi's bowlers wheeled over, Mumbai progressed to 93-2. After losing both openers, Jatin Paranjpe and Amol Muzumdar put on an unfinished stand of 44 to help Mumbai nose ahead although Virender Shewag kept them on a leash with a tight spell of 8-4-4-1.