Siddhesh Lad hit a strokeful unbeaten fifty after seamer Balwinder Sandhu completed his five-wicket haul as Mumbai reached 158 for five in their first innings against Andra Pradesh on the third day of their Ranji Trophy Group B match here today.
Siddhesh anchored the Mumbai innings with a 107-ball 68 studded with 10 boundaries and a six after they were reduced to 61-4 in 36.1 overs. The 23-year-old shared a 97-run stand with Nikhil Patil (27) for the fifth wicket.
At the draw of stumps, Siddhesh and Abhishek Nayar (0) were at the crease at the Dr PVG Raju ACA Sports Complex, still trailing by 86 runs with five wickets remaining to surpass Andra's first innings total of 244.
Cheepurapalli Stephen (2/33) and Bandaru Ayyappa (2/47) took two wickets each and Duvvarapu Siva Kumar scalped one to help Andra Pradesh.
Resuming at 213-4, Mohammad Kaif could add just one run to his overnight score before he was dismissed by Sandhu in the second over of the day. K Ashwin Hebbar (8) too was sent packing by Shardul Thakur in the next over to reduce Andra to 214 for six.
Sandhu then got rid of Murumulla Sriram in the next over to complete his five wicket haul, while Thakur dismissed D Siva Kumar in the 113th over to end with three wickets for 47. Dhawal Kulkarni (1/30) and Abhishek Nayar (1/32) took one wicket each.
No. 9 batsman Ayyappa (21) was the only Andra batsman to reach double figures today before he was caught by Vishal Dabholkar off Nayar.
In reply, Mumbai too had a difficult time as opener Aditya Tare was sent early in the fourth over by Stephen. SS Iyer too could not stay long and was dismissed in the 14th over by Siva Kumar.
SA Yadav was the next to go when he was trapped in front of wicket by Ayyappa. The 22-year-old pacer then sent AA Herwadkar back to the hut in the 37th over. Patil was the last batsmen to be dismissed when he was cleaned up by Stephen.
Brief Score:
Andra Pradesh 1st innings: 244 all out in 123.2 overs (R Bhui 103, M Kaif 90; BS Sandhu 5/53).
Mumbai 1st innings: 158 for five in 69 overs (S Lad 63 not out; CV Stephen 2/33).
