Ranji Trophy: Mumbai nudge ahead

Raipur: A clinical display by the bowlers gave Mumbai a crucial first innings lead before captain Aditya Tare’s fine show with the bat helped them reach to a commanding position on the third day of their Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Hyderabad on Sunday. On a topsy-turvy day, defending champions Mumbai bowled out Hyderabad, who began the day on 167/3, for 280 with left-arm spinner Vijay Gohil picking up three of the five wickets to fall. Abhishek Nayar, who made 59 in the first innings, took 4 wickets for 60.

Hyderabad needed 127 runs to wipe out the first innings deficit and they came within 15 runs of the lead. But a lower order collapse resulted Hyderabad slipping from 255/5 to 280. Wicketkeeper Kolla Sumanth battled through to make 44 and he was the last man to be dismissed.

Mumbai, who had scored 294 all out in their first innings, were 102/3 in their second innings from 35 overs at the draw of the stumps. In their second innings, Mumbai were rattled early as they slipped to 52/3, with Mohammad Siraj dismissing Shreyas Iyer (12) and Suryakumar Yadav (3).

But, opener Praful Waghela (27 batting) and Tare (39 batting) steered Mumbai to safety with an unbroken 50-run fourth-wicket stand. Mumbai have now taken an overall lead of 116 runs with seven second innings wickets in hand.

Scores: Mumbai: 294 & 102/3 in 35 overs (Aditya Tare 39*, Praful Waghela 27*) vs Hyderabad 280 (Tanmay Agarwal 82, S Badrinath 56, Abhishek Nayar 4/60, Vijay Gohli 3/59).