da mrbet： Mumbai relied on their superior batting skills to make a strong replyto Punjab’s first innings total of 383
Staff Reporter21-Mar-2001Mumbai relied on their superior batting skills to make a strong replyto Punjab’s first innings total of 383. The hosts ended the second dayof the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal at the Wankhede Stadium at 162 for 2with opener Vinayak Mane and night watchman S Kannan unbeaten on 70and 5 respectively. The highlight of the day was the 138-run secondwicket partnership between Mane and Jatin Paranjpe (68).Earlier, Punjab resumed at 299 for 4 and the overnight batsman YuvrajSingh notched up a well deserved century while helping his team topost a fighting total. Yuvraj, who was 86 overnight, had alreadyforged a 63-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Reetinder SinghSodhi (46). The duo extended their partnership to 95 runs in thecourse of the morning. The partnership was broken when Sodhi wascaught by Paranjpe off Mhambrey in the 102nd over of the innings.Sodhi who missed out on a half century was at the crease for 140minutes and faced 102 balls and found the signboards eight times.Thereafter Yuvraj took up the mantle of scoring the runs. It waschiefly due to his efforts that Punjab extended their score keeping inview that the lower order was sent back cheaply. It was Mhambrey whocame back to polish off the tail. The former Indian medium pacerreturned figures of 5 for 77. After taking the fight to the oppositioncamp, Yuvraj was the ninth batsman to be dismissed when he gave areturn catch to Rajesh Pawar. During a shade over five and a halfhours at the crease, Yuvraj faced 209 balls to score 135 runs whilebludgeoning 15 boundaries and managing to send one over the ropes.Mumbai started their innings on the wrong foot losing the formerIndian opener Wasim Jaffer for nine when he was leg before to VineetKumar in the eighth over of the innings. Jatin Paranjpe replacedJaffer in the middle and things looked bright. Paranjpe played atypically fighting innings. But more important was the fact that heshared a century stand with Mane in 51 overs that sealed the day’sproceedings in favour of the hosts. Paranjpe was finally dismissed atthe fag end of the day, trapped in front of the stumps by Sodhi. Maneand Kannan saw through the final four overs of the day.