Saxena produces his best Ranji Trophy figures

Mumbai entered the Ranji Trophy Super League in 1999-2000 after a gap of one season, eager to make amends for that aberration. They were quite unstoppable in their first two games, dealing outright defeats to Karnataka and Bengal in their own lairs. Mumbai's third engagement against Rajasthan was at the more familiar surroundings of the Wankhede Stadium in the first week of March.

Rajasthan captain Gagan Khoda won the toss and put Mumbai into bat. Half centuries from Amol Mazumdar and Vinod Kambli helped the home side to a score of 336. Rajasthan's turn to bat arrived shortly before lunch on the second day. In the absence of Ajit Agarkar on national duty and an injured Paras Mhambrey, the mantle of frontline seamer passed onto the callow but exuberant Santosh Saxena, who of course had the experienced Abey Kuruvilla to support him.

Saxena fired out opener Anshu Jain, currently training with the National Academy, with his fourth delivery of the innings, captain Samir Dighe accepting a catch behind the wickets. One-drop Rahul Kanwat also departed to the same combination to leave Rajasthan at 57/2. It was now the turn of Kuruvilla to wreak some damage as he removed middle order bats Nikhil Doru and Saket Bhatia in quick succession. After Rajasthan captain Gagan Khoda fell for a gallant 83, Saxena returned to grab three more scalps.

First to go was Rajasthan's new outstation pro, Sanjeev Sharma, the former Test player, who was trapped leg before for 33. Wicketkeeper Rohit Jhalani, also currently at the NCA, managed to take the visitors past the follow on mark before he was caught by Jatin Paranjpe. The 24 year old Mumbai seamer capped his incisive spell by packing off DP Singh to take his first five wicket haul in the Ranji Trophy, surpassing his previous best of 4/61 against Maharashtra at the Brabourne stadium in 1997/98.

Mumbai piled up 285/5 in their second innings, setting their opponents a formidable 393 for victory. Saxena dismissed the unfortunate Anshu Jain for the second time in the match, winning a leg before decision in his second over. On a pitch increasingly taking spin, left arm spinner Rajesh Pawar and off spinner Ramesh Powar took the honours with seven wickets between them, Mumbai coasting to a 72 run victory. Saxena's match figures of 6/129 were the best among all the bowlers as Mumbai's points tally in the Super League climbed to a healthy 24.