Hyderabad falter as Azhar, Laxman flatter to deceive

Hyderabad's big guns, Mohammed Azharuddin and VVS Laxman looked like they might have it in them to steer Hyderabad past Mumbai's first innings total in the Ranji Trophy final. However at the end of the second day, neither could do enough to cement Hyderabad's position. Having conceded a lead of 181 and with three days left to play, Hyderabad will have to fight hard to dig themselves out of the hole they are in.

At the end of the first day, centurion Vinod Kambli thought that even 300 was a good score for Mumbai. He added that anything more would be a bonus. It's always handy to have a bonus of 76 runs. Ending on 376 all out, Mumbai got ready to have a go at the Hyderabad batsman.

Even the 73 runs they managed on the second morning was thanks to a late in the order 75 from Paras Mhambrey. He has been in good nick with the bat this season, with 117 against Maharashtra in the season opener being his best. Coming in at number 7, the Mumbai medium pacer kept Kambli good company yesterday. Even after Kambli was dismissed, Mhambrey continued to bat confidently. Approaching the bowling more like a batsman than a bowler, Mhambrey shared a partnership of 60 with Ajit Agarkar and gave the Mumbai total the extra solidity that could prove crucial.

Venkatapathy Raju who is a past master at bowling spin on Indian wickets bowled efficiently on the second day of this five day encounter. Bowling a spell of 3.2-1-10-2, Raju helped himself to the wickets of Mhambrey and Saxena, Raju ended with innings pickings of 37.2-11-110-4.

Coming out to bat requiring 377 to take a first innings lead, Hyderabad were reduced to 7/2. Openers Nandakishore and Daniel Manohar did not last long against the Mumbai seamers. Manohar found the pace of Agarkar too hot to handle as he mishit an attempted hook to the on side. Running back from forward short leg, Rajesh Pawar held a good catch. Nandakishore followed soon after, edging a ball from Kuruvilla straight to Tendulkar in the slips. Hyderabad were tottering and their two most famous sons Laxman and Azharuddin were at the crease.

As Kambli and Sachin Tendulkar held the hopes of the Mumbai team, Laxman and Azharuddin carried the responsibility for Hyderabad. When two men are shouldering the major responsibility of a team and indeed the hopes of a whole state, strange things can happen. With adrenaline pumping, Laxman treated the Mumbai crowd to some fine batting. Taking on the short pitched bowling that was served up to him, Laxman pulled magnificently, taking the bull by its horns. Sensing his limitations, Azhar chose to take evasive action whenever he was targetted by the rising ball. In their own ways, the two motored along strongly till things went horribly wrong.

Running a quick single when Azhar tapped the ball back towards the bowler, Laxman found himself short of his ground as Mhambrey fired a throw in to 'keeper Sameer Dighe. The bails were whipped off in a flash and Laxman's entertaining knock of 46 came to an abrupt end.

Hyderabad's next hope, Vanka Pratap did not last long, flashing hard at a ball spinning away from him from Ramesh Powar. The ball clipped the edge on the way to the wicketkeeper and Azhar found himself in the company of Parth Satwalkar.

Though Azhar did not look at his fluent best, he stuck around long enough to make 76. When he edged a ball from Saxena towards the slip cordon, Mumbai heaved a sigh of relief as Dighe dived across and pouched the catch. With Azhar gone, there was very little hope of Hyderabad seriously challenging Mumbai's score.

Wickets fell at regular intervals with only Parth Satwalkar (30) offering any resistance. All out for 195, Hyderabad will take the field tomorrow having conceded a sizeable lead.