Ranji Trophy: Skipper Shams Mulani delighted over Mumbai's win against Bihar

Both teams greet each other after Mumbai’s big win over Bihar at the Moin-ul-Haq Stadium in Patna yesterday. Pic/PTI

Mumbai's bowlers took just 19 balls to claim the four remaining Bihar's wickets to register an innings and 51-run win in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group ‘B' game in Patna on Monday. The 41-time champions thus started their campaign on a joyous note. The hosts were trailing by 60 runs when they resumed at their overnight score of 91-6 at the Moin-ul-Haq Stadium.

Pacer Mohit Avasthi dismissed Bipin Saurabh (30) on the second ball and left-arm pacer Royston Dias (3-35) completed the winning formalities by securing his maiden hat-trick. Mumbai stand-in skipper Shams Mulani reckoned it was a big and important win. "These seven points are very important as we witnessed last season when that [the gap of] three points did the damage for us. There will be some games which don't go your way and that extra point is vital," Mulani told mid-day from Patna.

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The spin bowling all-rounder was proud to lead Mumbai for the first time in first-class cricket albeit as stand-in skipper. Regular skipper Ajinkya Rahane pulled out due to a stiff neck. Mulani said: "I led Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy a couple of years ago, but being a Mumbai captain in first-class cricket is special to me. I never thought of leading the Ranji team. It's a very big honour for me and my family."

Meanwhile, Dias, 30, who sealed Mumbai's big win with three quick wickets, was over the moon with his triple blows. He sent back Bihar skipper Ashutosh Aman (7) through second slip fielder Sarfaraz Khan on the fifth ball of day's second over. Next ball, he trapped Himanshu Singh (0) leg before. And on the first ball off his next over, he disturbed Veer Pratap Singh's furniture. "To get three wickets in three successive balls is special. Most importantly, I was happy with the way I bowled throughout the game," said Dias, who claimed 1-29 in the first innings.

Mumbai will miss the services of all-rounder Shivam Dube, batsman Sarfaraz and pacer Tushar Deshpande in the next game against Andhra Pradesh starting in Mumbai on Friday. Dube will be joining India's T20 team for the three-match series against Afghanistan in Mohali from Thursday, while Sarfaraz and Deshpande are in the India ‘A' squad for the two-day game against England Lions at Ahmedabad from Friday.

Mulani is confident that Mumbai will keep the winning momentum as skipper Ajinkya Rahane and experienced pacer Dhawal Kulkarni will be available for the game. "It will be a good side and we are very confident that anyone we pick as replacements will do the job," Mulani remarked.

Brief scores

Mumbai 251 (B Lalwani 65, S Parkar 50, T Kotian 50; V Singh 5-45) beat Bihar 100 & 100 (S Nigrodh 40; S Dube 4-10, R Dias 3-35) by an innings and 51 runs