Chennai, Sept 17: A high-voltage contest is on the cards when Mumbai, led by ace batsman Sachin Tendulkar, lock horns with the rest of India, captained by India skipper Sourav Ganguly, in the five-day TVS-Z R Irani Cup match commencing here tomorrow. For cricket enthusiasts here, it is more of a contest between master batsman Sachin Tendulkar and stylish southpaw Sourav Ganguly than a clash between two teams... And both will strive to win the match.

The cricket board's decision to hold the prestigious match as a kick-start to the domestic first-class game has gained significance because a full-fledged Indian side will be playing for Irani Cup after a gap of ten years. In the recent past Ranji trophy champions were forced to play against second fiddle rest of India team as the top players were either not available or chose to skip the event.

The five-day event also provides an ideal platform for the cricketers to book their berth for the coming Test series against New Zealand.

Bureau Report