Commanding show

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Rest of India’s batsmen, led my opener Murali Vijay’s timely century, tamed the inexperienced Mumbai bowling line-up to end the first day at 330/5 in the Irani Cup at Wankhede Stadium here on Wednesday.

Vijay scored 116 (206b, 17x4, 1x6), while Shikhar Dhawan 63 (101b, 11x4) and Ambati Rayudu 51 (83b, 9x4) cracked half centuries to make full use of the opportunity in bid to stake their claim to the Test side.
Mumbai badly missed Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar as the hosts could not exploit the early juice on the helpful Wankhede wicket after Abhishek Nayar — leading for the first time — won the toss to invite RoI to bat.
New ball bowlers Javed Khan and Dhawal Kulkarni bowled well initially but failed to take a wicket. All-rounder Nayar emerged as the pick of the bowlers with 2/49.
Suresh Raina was batting on 36 with skipper Harbhajan Singh yet to score at stumps.
Vijay and Dhawan opened in the absence of Virender Sehwag who missed the game due to an upset stomach. The pair saw off a teasing opening spell from Kulkarni before unleashing a flurry of boundaries off the toothless Mumbai attack.
Vijay reached his 50 with an exquisite cover-driven boundary off Nayar in 79 balls. Dhawan too cracked an onside boundary off Kulkarni to reach his half-century as RoI made 130 in 35 overs of first session, without losing a wicket.
Mumbai tasted their first success four overs after lunch after Dhawan dragged on a wide half-volley from Shardul Thakur. The duo shared 144 runs for the first wicket.
Vijay was lucky to survive on 79 when he was caught behind off a no- ball from Thakur. He carried on with Manoj Tiwary, reaching his hundred with a boundary off Kulkarni.
Prior to this, Vijay had hit a six with an upper-cut.
Tiwary seemingly unhappy took a long time to walk back, when he was adjudged lbw after he attempted to play Nayar through the onside. Tiwary and Vijay were involved in a 78-run partnership for the second wicket.
Nayar rolled his golden arm over again, nailing Vijay immediately after tea with bowling the Tamil Nadu batsman with an inswinger. Rayudu and Suresh Raina continued to pile on the runs, sharing another 78 for the fourth wicket.
Rayudu used his feet against the spinners but seemed uncomfortable while playing them from the crease. He was dropped once by Wasim Jaffer at first slip off Rohit Sharma but Jaffer made amends later by pouching him off the same bowler.
Wriddhiman Saha (17) looked in good touch despatching Rohit for three boundaries, but fell towards the fag end after Kulkarni got the decision in his favour, rapping him on the pads.