Mumbai in control as Kulkarni,Abdulla have Railways on the ropes

The Boxing Hall printed on a plaque with thick strokes of black paint in both English and Hindi is located directly...

The Boxing Hall printed on a plaque with thick strokes of black paint in both English and Hindi is located directly opposite the players pavilion at the Karnail Singh Stadium. Although the single room was shut on the off-season break on Tuesday,the Railways vs Mumbai Ranji Trophy Group A encounter donned the role of a match between two pugilists.

After winning the all important toss on a placid wicket and deciding to bat first,Railways soon found themselves inside the square ring,unable to sway away from the barrage of Mumbais hooks,jabs and thumps,before they threw the final sucker punch of Day One.

With conditions favouring the quicks early on,Mumbais opening bowlers Ajit Agarkar and Dhawal Kulkarni got things underway after a 40 minute delay due to a damp pitch. Railways crawled their way to 37 for no loss in 11 overs,with Faiz Fazal and keeper Cheluvuraj more than happy to play the waiting game.

Early strike

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As the sun pierced through the fog,Mumbai skipper Wasim Jaffer introduced 17-year old left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh in the 12th over. Playing in only his second Ranji match,Harmeet struck in his second over,trapping Fazal with a ball that turned sharply.

Batting at number three,Railways veteran Sanjay Bangar pulled Harmeet through mid-wicket for four to get off the mark and followed it up with a cover drive off Kulkarni to the ropes. But going for one shot too many,Bangar spooned a sitter to Iqbal Abdulla at point off Kulkarni to end his half-hour stay at the crease.

Agarkar resumed immediately after lunch from the pavilion end to dismiss TP Singh for eight,only to be replaced by the hero of the previous two Mumbai matches,Iqbal Abdulla. Given the task of mopping up the middle order,the left-arm spinner obliged.

Cheluvuraj was his first victim,caught by Jaffer at first slip,after the ball ricocheted off keeper Vinayak Samant out for 14 off 112 balls in nearly three hours. Yere Goud was the next to go,stumped by Samant for a patient 15. Just as the wickets dried up,Abdulla changed ends,only to be rewarded with Sanjib Sanyals wicket for 26. The lower order was exposed with the score on 132/6.

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Harmeet,Rohit Sharma and Kulkarni,in that order,performed the finishing act. Harmeet dismissed top scorer M Suresh,caught by Agarkar for 31. One of Sharmas off-spinners straightened to trap Karan Sharma. Kulkarni then scalped two wickets in the same over Railways skipper Murali Kartik caught and bowled for six and Harshad Rawle bowled two balls later to wrap up the first innings for 187.

With only three overs to survive to wrap up a perfect start to the match,Mumbai lost Ajinkya Rahane under rapidly fading light to Shailender Gehlot. The visitors begin Day Two on 2/1,with Sahil Kukreja and nightwatchman Kulkarni yet to get off the mark.

Brief scores: Railways 187 all out in 85 overs (M Suresh 31; D Kulkarni 3/24,I Abdulla 3/46) vs Mumbai 2/1 in 2.3 overs (S Gehlot 1/2)