Pandit puts on brave front despite Maharashtra reeling at 99 for 4

Nasik, Jan 11 (UNI) Maharashtra coach Chandrakant Pandit today put on a brave front saying that they still had a chance with their best batsman S Sriram still at the crease and another couple of capable batsmen still to come.

Pandit was speaking to mediapersons after the second day's play with his team in all sorts of trouble at 99 for 4 in reply to Mumbai's first innings score of 515 for eight declared.

Pandit said that the first session would be crucial for them tomorrow and if the rest could give a stand to Sriram, they might still be able to give Mumbai a bit of a scare. ''However, for that to happen, Sriram would have to play a knock of grit and determination as well as patience.'' The Maharashtra coach was not too happy with the bowling performance, saying that they had given a lot of easy runs for their opponents to be able to declared early. ''On a flat wicket, it is important if we are not getting wickets, to stem the flow of runs and delay the declaration from the opposition for as long as possible.'' ''Now we find ourselves batting against a very good Mumbai attack and also with the pressure of the mountain of runs they have made making it that much more difficult for us.'' he said.

Pandit also had a word of caution for young 18-year-old opener Harshad Khadiwale, who made a polished 50. He should realise just making 50s' would not suffice and he should learn to play the ball according to its merit. The ball he got out on, ''he should have left with his bat high over his head but with the off spinner spinning it from the rough, he made the mistake of keeping his bat down and the edge went straight to the fielder,'' he said.

UNI