Mongia keeps Baroda in hunt

By Our Special Correspondent

BARODA, MARCH. 24. Nayan Mongia's 61 not out in Baroda's second innings may mean the difference between victory and defeat for Tamil Nadu. Walking into a looming crisis at 73 runs for the loss of four wickets, the wicket-keeper proved yet again, on the third day of the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal match, that he had not lost the zest for thriving in pressure situations.

He kept the scoreboard ticking with placements even while getting his eye in and then in the company of Rakesh Patel switched to the attack mode. When Mongia walked back, unconquered on 61 off 98 balls, Baroda's apprehensions of frittering away the advantage of a 138-runs first innings lead had been replaced by the anticipation of a possible victory.

The eighth-wicket stand worth 66, helped Baroda stretch its second innings to 184 before getting bowled out, putting the onus on Tamil Nadu to score 323 runs to win, with two days left. A difficult proposition, considering the Gujarat State Fertilizers Corporation wicket is still helping bowlers. Rakesh Patel struck the first blow off the very first ball, having opener S. Badrinath leg before without a run on the board.

Tamil Nadu has lost three second innings wickets with only 50 on the board after 28 overs at stumps on the third day, the victory target still 273 runs away. C. Hemant Kumar (18) and nightwatchman Thiru Kumaran (3) are at the crease.

Earlier in the morning, the visitors, having conceded a 138-run first innings lead, got a breakthrough when pacy M. Srinivas got rid of Satyajit Parab, the Baroda opener edging an express delivery into the safe hands of skipper S. Sriram in the slips.

Off-spinner Aashish Kapoor, after a four-wicket haul in the first innings, commanded respect from the time he was introduced into the attack, reining in even the free-stroking Conner Williams. The left-handed Baroda opener, square driving as fluently as in his earlier stint at the crease, got runs when the fast bowlers Thiru Kumaran and S. Mahesh were in operation, defending compactly and using the pace of the deliveries to pepper the fence. He was severe on Kapoor, who got his revenge, leaving Williams stranded out of his crease for wicket-keeper Reuben Paul to make a difficult stumping look so simple.

The hard-working Mahesh succeeded in forcing Himanshu Jadhav to play inside the line, keeper Reuben completing the catch. Then Kapoor rocked the Baroda camp, getting rid of skipper Jacob Martin, the batsmen standing in his crease for a long time after the verdict was given by the leg umpire. TN's hopes soared with every wicket, even as Ajit Bhoite joined the procession to the pavilion by giving Kapoor the charge, only succeeding in sending the ball soaring to deep mid-on where Srinivas pulled off a well judged catch almost on the ropes.

Mongia's experience and temperament was put to test at this stage. The TN bowlers and fielders breathing down the batsmen's necks with Baroda placed at an embarrassing 90 for seven after just 36 overs had been completed in the second innings, when Rakesh Patel walked out, tall and upright, to join him at the crease.

The home team was looking for a partnership at this stage and the Baroda supporters were rewarded when the two put on 66 runs for the eighth wicket.

Rakesh Patel launched into the attack, not afraid to take risks, even as Mongia walked up repeatedly to advise him against getting carried away. Kapoor conceded 11 runs in one over, Mongia's sweetly-timed boundary to mid-on followed by a brutal stroke from his partner, the ball soaring into the pavilion roof behind long- on.

Patel, however, gifted his wicket away to Kapoor, one of the seven victims by the TN off-spinner in the second innings, but by then had taken Baroda to safety. Mongia stayed on till the end, cheered all the way back by the weekend crowd.

The scores:

Baroda - 1st innings: 324.

Tamil Nadu - 1st innings: 186.

Baroda - 2nd innings: S. Parab c Sriram b M. Srinivas 0, C.Williams st Reuben b A. Kapoor 47, H. Jadhav c Reuben b S. Mahesh 2, J.Martin b Kapoor 13, T. Arothe c Kumaran b Kapoor 8, N. Mongia (not out) 61, A. Bhoite c Srinivas b Kapoor 0, I. Pathan (jr) c Sriram b Kapoor 4, R. Patel c Siva b Kapoor 39, H. Buch c Kumaran b Kapoor 0, I. Pathan (sr) run out 0. Extras (b-1, lb-1, nb-8) 11. Total 184 (62 overs).

Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-39, 3-57, 4-73, 5-74, 6-80, 7-90, 8-156, 9-163.

Tamil Nadu bowling: T. Kumaran 6-2-19-0, M. Srinivas 7-1-23-1, S. Mahesh 8-3-16-1, A. Kapoor 23-7-59-7, V. Sivaramakrishnan 9-0-44- 0, S. Sriram 9-1-21-0.

Tamil Nadu - 2nd innings: S. Badrinath lbw R. Patel 0, S. Sriram c Patel b Bhoite 25, H. Kumar (batting) 18, S. Sharath c Mongia b Bhoite 1, T. Kumaran (batting) 3. Extras (nb-3) 3. Total 50-3 (28 overs).

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-35, 3-43.

Baroda bowling: R. Patel 10-0-29-1, I. Pathan (sr) 6-3-16-0, I. Pathan (jr) 5-2-3-0, A. Bhoite 7-5-2-2.

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