NEW DELHI: By the end of the first session of the second day's play, it looked Mumbai would steamroll Delhi here at the Ferozeshah Kotla on Wednesday.
Defending 293 on a weary pitch in windy conditions, Mumbai pacers Tushar Deshpande and Mohit Avasthi reduced Delhi to 88/4. Season's highest scorer Dhruv Shorey was cleaned up by Avasthi for 19. Then, the highest paid IPL player on the park Nitish Rana' s struggles in red-ball cricket continued when Deshpande had him caught behind for 11 before ending Hrithik Shokeen's enterprising 45-run innings.
Stand-in captain Himmat Singh and Vaibhav Rawal then provided the spark that Delhi cricket was craving for this entire season. Rawal brought up his third First-Class century and Himmat scored a fluent 85 to p ut up a 195-run partnership as Delhi took the first innings lead. As the duo dropped guard at day end, Mumbai got themselves back into the game by rest ricting Delhi to 316/7. Leading up to the game, it was believed that the traditional Delhi-Mumbai rivalry had lost its sting with Delhi cricket plummeting at a fast pace this season. Yet, thematch became emotionally charged with Shokeen taking the attack to Mumbai pacers. There were tempers flying when Deshpande had him fending off.
Rawal and Himmat also didn't take a backward step. They kept the scoreboard ticking at over 3. 50 runs per over. The pitch took turn, the cold wind aided swing and Deshpande generated pace. But duo took them on and within a session Mumbai looked like losing con trol over the match. With the hosts 10 runs short of Mumbai's first-innings total, Himmat, anxious to score his second century on the trot, skipped down the track to leftarm spinner Shams Mulani and was beaten by the turn to be stumped.
Mumbai were looking for that kind of opening all day. Soon, Mulani went through the defence of Rawal who was b atting on 114. Anuj Rawat's struggles continued when off-spinner Tanush Kotian trapped him in front of the stumps.
As the players walked off the field, Delhi would know Mumba i have opened up the match with the late strikes. Mumbai would believe they have a chance to force a result if they can polish off the Delhi tail early on Day 3.
