da brwin： Sachin Tendulkar played the rescue act on Saturday
Partab Ramchand23-Dec-2000Sachin Tendulkar played the rescue act on Saturday. The Indian battingstar scored 108 to help Mumbai, down in the dumps at 129 for five atone stage, to reach the cushion of 391 for eight off 90 overs atstumps on the first day of their West Zone Ranji Trophy league matchagainst Baroda at the MIG ground in Mumbai.Put in to bat, Mumbai were rocked by the early dismissal of RobinMorris who was bowled by Rakesh Patel in the second over of themorning for three. Wasim Jaffer and Amol Muzumdar took the scoreslowly to 40 when Zaheer Khan had the former caught by Baroda captainand wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia for 17. A little later, the Indian leftarm seamer struck again trapping Muzumdar leg before for 21.The score was 51 for three when Vinod Kambli joined Tendulkar. The twoold school mates initiated a recovery process by adding 72 runs off10.2 overs. But then Kambli, who had dominated the partnership byhitting 42 off 46 balls with eight fours, was caught by H Jadhav offValmik Buch. In the next over, Zaheer Khan captured his third wicketwhen he had Sameer Dighe leg before for two.Mumbai had scored their runs at nearly five an over but all the samethey were now struggling at 129 for five. However, Tendulkar andSairaj Bahutule then turned the innings around with a sixth wicketpartnership of 143 runs off 25.1 overs. Tendulkar, who did the lion’sshare of the scoring, duly reached his hundred and then on 108, edgedSukhbir Singh to Mongia. The 27-year-old Indian batting maestro, in astay of 3-1/4 hours, faced just 95 balls and hit eleven fours andthree sixes.Ajit Agarkar joined Bahutule but the latter did not last very longafter Tendulkar’s departure and was caught by Connor Williams of Buchfor 67. Bahutule batted 2-1/2 hours, faced 111 balls and hit elevenfours. Romesh Powar was run out for ten at 304. But the ninth wicketpair of Agarkar and Paras Mhambrey prolonged Baroda’s agony till theclose and came through unbeaten, having added 87 runs off 22.4 overs.Agarkar by close was batting with 69 compiled off 114 balls andinclusive of ten fours while Mhambrey, who was on 35, faced 68 ballsand hit five of them to the ropes. Zaheer Khan, with three for 66, wasthe pick of the bowlers but generally the Baroda attack came in for alot of punishment