Ranji Trophy semifinal: Tamil Nadu implode, Mumbai seize control | Cricket News
There was so much space between Vijay Shankar’s bat and pad that an ambitious property shark could have raised a sky-kissing tower, the kind which would easily blend with the skyline that surrounds the MCA-BKC Complex where Tamil Nadu tumbled to 146 all out after opting to bat. Mumbai were 45/2 at stumps. The steel-and-glass structures also dictate the conditions after all. As Mumbai pacer Tushar Deshpande, whose three-wicket haul contributed to Tamil Nadu’s collapse, explained, the tower to the left of the pavilion covers the pitch in its shadow for a couple of hours after the start, leaving the moisture in the wicket for that much longer. The buildings and the elements played their part but Shankar scripted his own downfall. For 167 minutes, he hadn’t put a foot wrong. But the first time he went fishing outside off, Shankar edged Shardul Thakur to second slip. Shankar’s immediate reaction after attempting the shot was subtle – a facepalm. He then stood motionless, slapped the bat on his bat and began the long walk back. …