Tamil Nadu spinners R Aswin (5-65) and S Vidyuth (3-47) did the star turn, dismissing Baroda for 263 in their first innings on the first day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group 'A' match in Chennai on Wednesday.
Batting first, Baroda opener Satyajit Parab was run out by M Vijay for 14 and then Connor Williams was caught at mid-wicket with the score 53.
At this stage, captain Jacob Martin (57, 9 fours) and Rajesh Solanki (49, 6 fours) steadied the innings, putting on valuable 110 runs in 24.3 overs for the third wicket before the former made his exit, being clean bowled by Aswin.
With four more quick wickets falling, Irfan Pathan's younger brother Yusuf Pathan resisted the Tamil Nadu attack, hitting 49 runs in a whirlwind fashion, hitting four sixes and four fours. Irfan made only one.
In reply, Tamil Nadu lost the wicket of opener Dinesh Kaarthick (1), run out to a direct throw at the bowler's end by Yusuf from short mid-off.
Prasanna was bowled by Irfan for 2. Opener M.Vijay (2) and captain Badrinath (9) were at the crease when stumps were drawn.
Tamil Nadu is in a must-win situation to avoid relegation. A mere two points on first innings lead will not be enough as it will put them on level with defending champions Uttar Pradesh, which will see UP sneaking through on better run-quotient.
Scorecard
Baroda (1st innings):
Connor Williams c Ganapathy b Aashish Kapoor 29
Satyajit Parab run out 14
Rakesh Solanki c M Vijay b R Aswin 49
Jacob Martin b R Aswin 57
Himanshu Jadav c D Karthick b R Aswin 0
Irfan Pathan st D Kaarthick b R Aswin 1
Pinal Shah c R Prasanna b SVidyuth 20
Ajit Bhoite b R Aswin 8
Yusuf Pathan c S.Badrinath b S Vidyuth 49
Rajesh Pawar not out 3
Rakesh Patel c Satish b S.Vidyuth 1
Extras: (b-21, lb-6, nb-5) 32
Total: (all out in 77 overs) 263
Fall of wickets: 1/39, 2/53, 3/163, 4/163, 5/165, 6/184, 7/200, 8/234, 9/259.
Bowling: C Ganapathy 14-5-26-0, R.Satish 3-1-10-0, Aashish Kapoor 22-2-88-1,R.Aswin 27-11-65-5, S.Vidyuth 11-1-47-3.
Tamil Nadu (1st innings):
Dinesh Kaarthick run out) 1
M Vijay batting 2
R.Prasanna b Irfan Pathan 0
S.Badrinath batting 9
Extras: (b-1) 1
Total: (For two wickets in 11 overs) 13
Fall of wickets: 1/2, 2/3
Bowling: Irfan Pathan 4-0-7-1, R Patel 4-3-4-0, Rajesh Pawar 2-1-1-0, Yusuf Pathan 1-1-0-0.