The Dhawal-Ashishek Wall

Day 2, Ranji Trophy final 2009-10, Karnataka Vs Mumbai, at Mysore

By Vikram Afzulpurkar

See-sawing fortunes for both teams, not surprisingly on a lively bowling pitch, characterized the day at the picturesque Gangotri Glades ground in Mysore. Mumbai ended the day at a comfortable 108 for 5, after being 50-odd for the same number of wickets, therefore taking their overall lead to 215, after bowling out Karnataka for 130 just after lunch. The Jai-Veeru batting combination of Dhawal Kulkarni and Abhishek Nayar took highest honours.

Mithun slices the Mumbai spleen
The end situation on Day 2 does not tell the sorry tale the visitors’ top order described, again collapsing to 18 for 3, with the stoic Mithun striking with deceptive swing while pitching just outside off stump. Two more wickets fell amidst a mild stability, taking them to just over 50 runs before Dhawal Kulkarni walked in and put up possibly the most crucial stand in the match so far, with the solid Abhishek Nayar.

Mumbai had their moments early in the day also
Earlier in the day, Mumbai had reason to be excited, dismissing their rivals for 130 and gaining what on this wicket can be described as a huge 103 run first-innings lead. Salvi’s jubilation at the fall of the last wicket was probably the only time the body language showed the relief of securing the first innings lead, but everybody had resigned themselves to the fact that this would be a match decided on outright result.

The Karnataka dilemna
Karnataka have a worrying situation on their hands unless they scheme well overnight to plot the downfall of the current Kulkarni-Nayar partnership and ensure they continue the trend for the next four wickets. They must be wondering how they allowed a non-batsman like Kulkarni to settle into a 90-minute crease occupation especially when wickets were tumbling at their will? But of course, it’s easy to be a couch potato. They tried their best. The Mumbai duo just got stuck in there. Of course, if they clean them up and the rest of the batters early, it’ll still require great batting from Karnataka to reach their 250+ target.

Karnataka’s optimistic approach tomorrow
To take a realistic view, Mumbai would probably be able to add 50 more runs in session 1 on Day 3 tomorrow. Now, how would the pitch play post lunch Day 3? Possibly slower, therefore allowing Karnataka the best batting surface across both sides because they would bat into Day 4 as well, again with the pitch not developing spin devils, something possibly expected on Day 5. Possibly, but not necessarily.

Deviation check
In all of this Karnataka will be well aware of the batting might of the defending champions and the possibility of them batting up to tea on Day 3 and adding yet another fifty.

Get the Mumbaiites for 50 more and chase well
So, it would seem that for Karnataka to get the Mumbaiites all out by lunch and for a maximum of 50 runs would be a good target. Any earlier and for any lesser runs is even better! And a possibility of the hosts batting on a slowing surface. Oh, for Dravid (who’s missing this match because of a schedule mismatch with national committments)! But then that evens it up, or Mumbai’ll be crying hoarse for Sachin.

Let’s see how tomorrow unfolds.