Mandy comes in handy

For Punjab, the serial winners of this season, it was a regular day in the office. By stumps on Day One at the Wankhede, they were in a position of strength, having run up 288 runs for the loss of four wickets against Mumbai. Skipper Mandeep Singh, who has had a distinctly patchy Ranji start for the year, made his first hundred and stayed unbeaten on 102 at stumps.

All four of Punjab's wins so far have come at home, and if there were any doubts about their effeciency in away matches, the numbers for the day ought to ease such concerns. However, it could all have been different had the home side, who won the toss and elected to field on a track that was supposed to assist the pacers, clung on to even half the chances that came its way. Chances went abegging both with the new ball in the first session and during the final stretch of play as the fielders repeatedly let the bowlers down.

Opener Jiwanjot Singh, who has hit the ground running in his debut Ranji season having already scored 619 runs at an average of over a hundred, was the first of the beneficiaries. He was dropped in quick succession by wicket keeper Aditya Tare (off Abhishek Nayar) and Rohit Sharma (off Ankit Chavan) in the slips before being dismissed for 42, after having stuck around for close to three hours.

With his partner Karan Goel departing in the 15th over, Mumbai could have had a strong start had their catching been upto scratch. In the event, Jiwanjot put on more than fifty runs for the first and the second wicket, perishing only in the second session with the scoreboard reading 109 for two.

In walked Mandeep, to join Ravi Inder Singh who had settled down by then. The two added 128 runs for the third wicket, with Ravi Inder registering his third successive half century in two matches as Punjab reached tea for the loss of just two wickets.

... contd.

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