Mumbai enter Ranji Trophy quarter-finals

Mumbai are through to the knock out stages, despite a draw, after claiming three points against Gujarat on the basis of their first innings lead, on the last day of the group A Ranji Trophy match played in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday.

The hosts failed to register their second outright win of the season, as they were unable to chase the score of 135, after they had bundled out the opposition for 337.

Their run chase started with a hiccup, as they soon lost opener Aditya Tare (7) caught behind off Kushang Patel with only 17 runs on board.

Kaustubh Pawar and Hiken Shah ensured that there were no further casualties but the home side still needed 70 runs, when play was called off before the beginning of the mandatory 14 overs.

Middle-order batsman Manprit Juneja's valiant 98 wasn't enough for the visitors to impose a challenging total, but helped them to salvage a point.

During the first session of the day, Juneja and debutant Chirag Gandhi batted well and shared a 97-run partnership to get past the Mumbai first innings lead of 203.

Gandhi scored 64 runs and hit 13 fours before being trapped leg before by Abhishek Nayar.

Juneja later forged a 63-run stand with Rush Kalaria for the eighth wicket, and Kalaria knocked a quick fire 43 off 39 balls, with five fours and a six. Kalaria was caught at covers by Kaustubh Pawar off pacer Dhawal Kulkarni.

The 39-times champions struck quickly, when they got rid off Juneja, who fell 2 short off his century, with the visitors leading by 133 runs.

In his patient knock of 98 that guided the visitors to post a modest total of 134, Juneja hit 11 fours, before being caught in covers by Nayar off left-arm spinner Ankeet Chavan.

Chavan, who scalped four wickets in the innings for 124 runs, struck again in the same over by getting rid off Kushang Patel to end the Gujarat innings.

Brief Scores:

Gujarat: 244 and 337 (Manprit Juneja 98, Chirag Gandhi 64, Ankeet Chavan 4/124)

Mumbai: 447 and 65/1 (Hiken Shah 42, Kushang Patel 1/18).