The road back to respectability for Mumbai

For maybe the first time in Indian cricketing history, Mumbai began this season looking for a return to cricketing respectability. A team that has had greater success in domestic competition than possibly any team in the world, the expectations for Mumbai have always been high. With 33 titles in the 65 year history of the tournament (including, at one stage, a mind-boggling 15 consecutive triumphant seasons), it is only natural that this would be the case.

And yet, at the start of this season, this was a team coming back off the single worst season in its association's history. For the first time since the expansion of the knock-outs in the Ranjis, the team had failed to emerge from its zonal engagements in the final year of the 20th century. Especially with that in mind, Bombay has had a solid season so far this year.

The Return-to-Respectability campaign began with a skirmish against ancient rivals Maharashtra on home turf - a fierce rivalry going back over the decades. And it was an early demonstration of the determination of the side to put last season's annus horribilis behind them - they proceeded to bundle out the strong Maharashtra batting line-up on the first day and go on to win by an innings.

The second game saw a slight faltering - after making 335 on first innings against Baroda, Mumbai conceded the all-important first innings points with the last pair at the crease in a drawn game. A thumping 10-wicket win against minnows Gujarat followed, however, ensuring passage into the Super League. And the zonal engagements were wrapped up by claiming first innings points against Saurashtra - an ordinary performance in that Mumbai failed to bowl out their opponents despite having 106 overs to do it on the last innings. Despite that minor disappointment, however, the five points gained from this game were sufficient to enable Mumbai to finish top of the West Zone table and claim the coveted Talim Shield - welcome as the first bit of silverware to make it to the BCA cupboards in a long time.

On emerging from the zone, Mumbai were thrown into the so-called "Group of Death" - easily the most difficult Super League group, with Karnataka, Delhi, Bengal and Rajasthan. And to make matters even more difficult, three of the four matches were to be played away from home (with only the relatively weaker Rajasthan team due to visit Wankhede).

Mumbai's performance in this group, however, has marked the final step in it's journey back to respectability. Starting with a trip to Bangalore to take on defending champions Karnataka, they came away with a resounding innings victory. They then proceeded to Delhi to renew what has become maybe the best rivalry in Indian cricket over the last three decades. Despite a poor first day when Mumbai was bowled out for 247, they came back strongly to rattle up 453/8 in the second knock and left themselves just enough time to bowl out Delhi for the win - with the last wicket being claimed in the final over of the day.

With their confidence on a high, Mumbai returned home to take on Rajasthan. And, despite a scare on the final day when a young Rajasthan side made a valiant effort to chase down a target of 393 (and even looked to have it under control for a while), Mumbai's experience prevailed and they came away with full points. They then went into the Eden Gardens and beat Bengal convincingly on an underprepared pitch.

Thus, Mumbai finished the "Group of Death" with an all-win record, gaining a direct entry into the semi-finals where they will be at home to take on a resurgent Tamil Nadu side. A very difficult match in prospect, but a step Mumbai needs to take for their journey to respectability to be complete.