Ranadeb Bose

Rajkot: Centuries from Sahil Kukreja and Abhishek Nair helped Mumbai to be in a comfortable position at the close of Day I of the Irani Trophy tie here on Saturday. Mumbai were 385 for the loss of eight wickets when stumps were drawn. Kukreja scored 110 while Nair smashed 118.

Openers, Kukreja and Ajinkya Rahane, gave a decent start to Mumbai by putting up 91 runs for the opening wicket after their captain Amol Muzumdar elected to bat.

Rahane departed soon after completing his first first-class fifty that took 75 balls and hit eight fours. Rahane made 52 with eight fours and was adjudged leg before wicket off medium-pacer Ranadeb Bose.

Bose who was bowling accurately struck again before the lunch break by getting Wasim Jaffer (8) at first slip. Mumbai were 109 for two at lunch.

After lunch, Mumbai lost two quick wickets in the form of captain Muzumdar (8) and Prashant Naik (12).

Muzumdar and Naik were out leg before off Ojha and Sharma, respectively.

Kukreja who was batting patiently completed his fifty off 100 balls with ten fours.

Departure of Naik brought Kukreja-Nair together and the two notched up 171 runs off just 194 balls for the fifth wicket stand.

Nair was aggressive than Kukreja and started dominating Rest of India’s bowlers. He took just 45 balls to complete his fifty and quickly reached to three-figure mark off just 98 balls.

While Kukreja finished his hundred off 182 balls with ten fours.

The two were looking to put huge partnership for Mumbai, but an attempt of short single finally broke this partnership, when S. Badrinath directly hit stumps from short midwicket to dismiss Nair.

Nair made 118 off 107 balls and hit 20 fours and one six.

Departure of Nair triggered the collapse for Mumbai, who lost three wickets quickly including Kukreja.

Kukreja scored 110 and spent 336 minutes at the crease facing 210 balls and hit 17 fours.

Ramesh Powar, who joined the team this morning, after being dropped from national side, was batting on 28 (35b, 3x4, 1x6) with Iqbal Abdullah 16 (19b, 3x4).

For Rest of India, Bose was the most successful bowler taking three wickets for 88 runs, while Ishant Sharma and Pragyan Ojha captured two wickets each giving away 58 and 96 runs, respectively.

Rest of India captain Mohammed Kaif’s tactics were surprising. He persisted for 35 overs of innocuous pace bowling before introducing Pragyan Ojha. Leg-spinner Amit Mishra had to wait another 18 overs to get to roll his arms.