Mumbai: Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sarfaraz Khan and Siddhesh Lad helped Mumbai maintain their supremacy over Railways, but the ‘visiting’ side squandered the advantage against Railways in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match towards the end of the day, losing a couple of quick wickets at the Brabourne Stadium on Monday.
At stumps, Mumbai had reached 247/6 in 83 overs, losing three wickets for 12 runs from 226/3. Akash Anand was batting on 16 while Shams Mulani was on two.
Opener Raghuvanshi was the top scorer with a classy 78 off 122 balls with 11 fours and two sixes, while Sarfaraz cracked 55 in 100 balls with seven boundaries.
Skipper Lad struck a workmanlike 47 but could not build on that, getting played on to Himanshu Sangwan. Sangwan scalped three wickets for 32 runs in 17 overs while Adarsh Singh picked up 2/60 in 17 overs.
Mumbai Openers Make Solid Start
Batting first, Mumbai were off to a sedate but solid start with openers Divyaansh Saxena and Angkrish Raghuvanshi taking them to 20/0 in nine overs.
Raghuvanshi stepped up his game as he slammed a couple of fours and a six to get to 20 off 46 balls in 15 overs as Mumbai reached 41/0.
Mumbai batters frustrated the Railways bowlers with five of them being used until the 18th over. Himanshu Sangwan, Adarsh Singh, Raj Choudhary, Zubair Ali and Toufik Mondal were the bowlers who were used.
After 20 overs, Mumbai were 66/0 with Raghuvanshi on 37 off 59 balls, having struck five fours and a six, while Saxena was batting on 25 off 62 balls with two boundaries.
Raghuvanshi Reaches Half-Century
Raghuvanshi cracked a fine fifty in 70 balls with eight fours and a six as Mumbai reached 94/0 in 25 overs. Saxena got to 36 in 79 balls with four boundaries as the visiting Mumbai side was piling on the misery on the Railwaymen through their openers.
Mumbai openers consolidated their position as the team reached 99/0 in 27 overs with Raghuvanshi on 58 and Saxena on 37.
They brought up their 100 in 27.3 overs as the Railways bowling attack struggled to pick up a wicket and break the partnership.
Raghuvanshi was then dropped on 60 by Bhargav Merai off Sahab Yuvraj Singh’s bowling.
Mumbai went to lunch at 109/0 in 31 overs with Raghuvanshi on 66 off 95 balls with nine fours and two sixes. Saxena was batting on 39 off 91 balls with four fours.
Railways Fight Back After Lunch
Post-lunch, Mumbai lost their first wicket as Saxena was caught behind by substitute wicketkeeper Suraj Ahuja off Sangwan for 39.
New man Musheer Khan didn’t last long as he was caught behind by Ahuja off Adarsh Singh as Railways had something to cheer about finally as Mumbai slipped to 120/2 in 34.4 overs.
Raghuvanshi looked set for another hundred but nicked one to Ahuja off Sangwan to be dismissed for 78 as Mumbai got to 128/3 in 40 overs.
Lad And Sarfaraz Rebuild Innings
Mumbai reached 156/3 in 52 overs as skipper Siddhesh Lad and Sarfaraz Khan kept chugging along. The former was rather sedate yet sturdy, batting on 10, while Sarfaraz was on 20, having struck four boundaries.
At tea, Mumbai were 162/3 in 57 overs with Siddhesh Lad on 17 and Sarfaraz Khan on 23.
Thereafter, the duo consolidated their partnership further as they reached 189/3 in 64 overs with Lad on 29 and Sarfaraz on 34.
Sarfaraz Khan brought up his fifty in 86 balls in the 71st over off Toufik Mondal as Mumbai reached a position of strength at 217/3 after the completion of 71 overs.
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Late Wickets Halt Mumbai's Momentum
Lad was out, played on to a delivery from Sangwan for 47, as his 98-run partnership with Sarfaraz came to an end with Mumbai at 226/4 in 74.1 overs.
Adarsh Singh then snuffed out Sarfaraz Khan for 55, caught behind by Ahuja, as Mumbai started to lose momentum at 232/5 in 75.5 overs.
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