05 January,2009 07:23 AM IST | | Amol Karhadkar
Mumbai skipper Wasim Jaffer (left) and Ajinkya Rahane saunter across for a single during their unbeaten 177-run partnership for the second wicket against Saurashtra yesterday. Pic/Atul Kamble. inset: Rusi Modi, who achieved the feat in 1944-45. PIC/MID-DAY ARCHIVES
Skipper Jaffer and Rahane become first Mumbai batsmen in 64 years to score 1000 runs in a Ranji Trophy season, thus emulating Rusi Modi's 1944-45 feat
Nobody in Mumbai cricket was able to equal Rusi Modi's feat of scoring more than 1,000 runs in a Ranji season in the last 64 years. The champion batsman had scored 1,008 runs in the 1944-45 season to become the first batsman in India to achieve the landmark.
But as Ajinkya Rahane and skipper Wasim Jaffer crossed the milestone on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy semi-final against Saurashtra at the MA Chidambaram Stadium yesterday, it seemed as if the wait was worth it.
It was a first instance of two batsmen from the same team crossing the thousand-run barrier in a Ranji season.
Fantastic
"It's fantastic... very good for Mumbai cricket," batting icon Sachin Tendulkar, who was padded up for a better part of the day, said after close of play.
Riding on Rahane (52 n o) and Jaffer's (162 n o) unbroken stand of 177 runs for the second wicket, Mumbai have a firm grip on the match as they ended Day One at 268 for one, with Vinayak Samant (49) being the only casualty.
Jaffer and Rahane's consistent scoring has been the key to Mumbai's success in the season so far. The duo, employed by Indian Oil, have a reputation of playing big innings. Besides, both have shared the No 3 position this season and have set the platform for a big score. In addition, both have four centuries each to their credit this season. But most importantly, both have crossed the 1,000-run milestone this year.
Struggled
Rahane, who started the day with 976 runs, struggled to time the ball and had managed to score only 20 in 84 balls when the duo returned to the pavilion at tea. While Rahane was four runs shy of the milestone, Jaffer wasn't far from the landmark either, having added 112 runs to his earlier tally of 873 runs.
But in the first over after the break, Rahane stepped out and sent one from offie Kamlesh Makwana over the long-on rope to raise his bat. Jaffer soon became the 11th member of the 1,000-runs-in-a-Ranji-season club with a nudge to the on-side.
The unbroken 171-run stand was also Rahane and Jaffer's fourth century partnership of the season.
"That has been the story of the season so far," Jaffer said.
"Let's hope we carry on in the same vein tomorrow."
Rahane, for his part said he wasn't thinking about the milestone.
"I was aware of it but there was no pressure to get to it," Rahane said. "It was just one of those days when I struggled all through the day and never felt at home on the wicket. It was important to hang in there and I am happy I succeeded in doing so."
