Maharashtra took advantage of some wayward Mumbai bowling, slipshod catching and a flat track to pile up 308 for five wickets on the first day of the four-day Ranji Trophy Super Division Group A match at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.
Yogesh Takawale (not out 83 with 9 fours and a six) and pint-sized left hander Vishal Bilhare (78 with 11 fours and a six) prospered for Maharashtra after the visitors were asked to bat first by Mumbai captain Amol Muzumdar.
The fifth wicket pair put on a 130-run partnership in 219 balls and 155 minutes to take the visitors from a wobbly 142 for four to a comfortable 272 for five before the second new ball was taken.
At stumps Takawale, who occupied the crease for over four and a half hours while facing 159 balls, and Kedar Chavan (21) were at the crease.
Mumbai were let down by some unimpressive bowling by Ajit Agarkar and Ramesh Powar and sloppy close-in catching.
The batsmen to benefit were opener Harshad Khadiwale (42), Maharashtra captain Venugopal Rao (27) and Takawale, who was let off in the slip cordon by Ajinkya Rahane off debutant Murtaza Hussain when on 3.
The visitors were struggling at 99 for three when Takawale's catch was grassed off medium pacer Hussain who made an impressive debut in picking up the wickets of openers Vishant More (24) and Khadiwale.
Agarkar made some amends later by having Bilhare caught at short mid wicket to end up with one wicket along with Avishkar Salvi and Abhishek Nair.
Scorecard
Maharashtra (1st innings):
V More b Hussain 24
H Khadiwale c Kukreja b Hussain 42
H Kanitkar lbw b Nayar 18
Y Venugopal Rao lbw b Salvi 27
Y Takawale not out 83
V Bhilare c Sharma b Agarkar 78
K Jadhav not out 21.
Extras: (b 7, lb 2, w 4, nb 2) 15
Total: (for 5 wickets; 89 overs) 308
To bat: SV Bahutule, SA Agharkar, SM Fallah, WS Sayyed
Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-85, 3-95, 4-142, 5-272.
Bowling: A Agarkar 18-0-64-1 (1w); A Salvi 16-3-52-1; M Hussain 19-3-57-2; A Nayar 21-5-66-1 (3w); R Powar 13-1-47-0 (2nb); R Sharma 2-0-13-0;
Mumbai: S Kukreja, A Rahane, R Sharma, A Muzumdar, P Naik, A Nayar, A Agarkar, V Samant, R Powar, M Hussain, A Salvi.