Mumbai vs Karnataka: Mumbai toppled again

Mumbai skipper Suryakumar Yadav in full flight against Karnataka at MCA's BKC ground yesterday

Mumbai batsmen, with the sole exception of skipper Suryakumar Yadav, played like novices for the second match running against a disciplined four-pronged Karnataka pace attack and were down in the dumps in the first session before recovering to a healthier 194 on Day One of their Ranji Trophy League game at the MCA's Bandra Kurla Complex ground on Friday.

The hosts hit back in the second half of the post tea session to reduce Karnataka to 79-3, after openers R Samarth (40 not out) and Devdutt Padikkal (32) had put on 68 to launch the visitors' reply on a sound note.

Karnataka lost their first two wickets at the same score of 68 to Sham Mulani's left-arm spin in the space of three balls. Mulani trapped left handed opener Padikkal in front with a faster ball and then had one-down batsman Abhishek Reddy caught at silly point, before his spin colleague Shashank Attarde too had debutant Rohan Kadam caught at the same position by Sarfaraz Khan.

Earlier Suryakumar, as he had done against Railways in the previous game that Mumbai lost outright towards the end of last year, top-scored with 77, studded with 10 fours and two sixes. However, he too was guilty of throwing away his wicket through a poor shot, caught behind to a ball going down the leg side.

The Mumbai skipper, in the company of rookie Shashank Attarde earned the distinction of pulling the 41-time champions' chestnuts out of the fire with a seventh wicket partnership of 88 in 15.1 overs.

But for this combined effort Mumbai would have been all out before lunch. But even this stand could not help the hosts cross the 200-run mark for the third innings on the trot as they were shot out for in 55.5 overs.

Karnataka pacer Vasuki Koushik appeals v Mumbai yesterday

Mumbai had made 114 and 198 against Railways and a repeat on Friday was an indication of how poorly their top-order performed for the second game running. They lost their first wicket five minutes into the game after being put in to bat and were reeling at 60 for six in the 25th over.

In the morning, three wickets fell in a heap including Tare's caught behind dismissal in the second over, followed by Test vice captain Ajinkya Rahane, who struggled in scoring 7 in 56 minutes before edging a drive to the wicketkeeper, and Siddhesh Lad (4) falling in the same over from first change bowler Ronit More to reduce Mumbai to 34 for 3.

Prithvi Shaw (29 with four fours), selected in the India 'A' squad to tour New Zealand, again flattered to deceive and his dismissal at 46, bowled comprehensively by Abhimanyu Mithun, put Karnataka right on top.

V Koushik picked up three wickets while Mithun, More and Prateek Jain bagged a brace each.

Brief scores
Mumbai 194 (S Yadav 77, S Attarde 35; V Koushik 3-45, P Jain 2-20) v Karnataka 79-3
(R Samarth 40', D Padikkal 32; S Mulani 2-13)

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