6 months ago
3
Seven years ago, Akhil Herwadkar featured successful his past Ranji Trophy fixture for Mumbai. While helium had a forgettable outing against Gujarat successful that game, with scores of 0 and 10, the batter aboriginal moved to Chhattisgarh for amended opportunities.
But connected Sunday, arsenic Herwadkar turned up for Mumbai, replacing Ajinkya Rahane, helium made his homecoming peculiar with a gritty 86 disconnected 188 deliveries to usher Mumbai to 317 for 3 against Pondicherry successful a Group-D fixture astatine the Wankhede Stadium.
While the 31-year-old made the astir of 2 reprieves and brought up his 11th First Class fifty, Musheer Khan continued his good signifier with a 102-ball-84 and forged a 119-run concern with Herwadkar for the 2nd wicket. Later, Siddhesh Lad came up with different classy unbeaten 80 (132b, 9x4, 1x6) to enactment Mumbai successful the driver’s seat.
On a aboveground that had a tinge of green, Pondicherry’s determination to tract backfired arsenic openers Musheer and Ayush Mhatre made the astir of erratic bowling and added 54 runs successful 11 overs earlier the second was caught down disconnected Abin Mathew.
Expectations were precocious from Pondicherry arsenic immoderate of its players featured successful nine cricket successful Mumbai, but they couldn’t execute the plans, and arsenic the aboveground eased out, Musheer and Herwadkar flexed muscles.
Coming disconnected a ton against Himachal Pradesh, Musheer chopped and drove astatine will. Herwadkar, however, was lucky. On 47, Aman Khan had him caught astatine heavy fine-leg by Sabhey Chadha, but the bowler was recovered to person overstepped.
Both looked connected people for hundreds earlier Musheer was caught astatine archetypal slip, trying to chopped 1 disconnected Chadha. As the momentum broke, Herwadkar, too, missed retired connected a ton, aft being trapped leg-before by Udeshi.
However, with Lad and Sarfaraz Khan holding steadfast and adding 80 runs for the 4th wicket, determination was nary further harm caused.
The scores: Mumbai — 1st innings: Ayush Mhatre c Sidhaant b Mathew 35, Musheer Khan c Ratnaparkhe b Chadha 84, Akhil Herwadkar lbw b Udeshi 86, Siddhesh Lad (batting) 80, Sarfaraz Khan (batting) 29; Extras (lb-1, nb-2) 3; Total (for 3 wkts. successful 84 overs): 317.
Fall of wickets: 1-54, 2-173, 3-237.
Pondicherry bowling: Mathew 15-2-63-1, Chadha 15-2-65-1, Udeshi 24-3-77-1, Aman 8-1-46-0, Jayant 22-0-65-0.
