Abhishek Nayar struck a double century to help hosts Mumbai overhaul holders Rajasthan's imposing first innings total of 530 in the Group A Ranji Trophy Elite division match that ended in a draw in Mumbai.
Riding on Nayar's 243, Rohit Sharma's 100, Surya Kumar Yadav's blistering 87 and half centuries by Dhawal Kulkarni (60) and Iqbal Abdulla (64) respectively, Mumbai scored a mammoth 625, which gave them three crucial points by vitue of 95-run first innings lead over Rajasthan.
With the match destined to be fought for the first innings honours on a placid Brabourne Stadium wicket, all competitive interest in the clash died down once Mumbai took the lead in the first session.
In the second innings, Rajasthan made 70 for two in 15 overs, losing openers Akash Chopra and Vineet Saxena in the process, before stumps were drawn for the last time.
Mumbai took their points tally from two matches to nine, having opened their campaign with an outright win over Railways at Delhi, while Rajasthan have two points from as many ties.
This morning the interest lay in whether Mumbai, who resumed at the overnight score of 439 for five, 92 runs adrift of their rivals' total with bowlers Kulkarni and Abdulla at the crease, would be able to cross Rajasthan's total.
The duo of Kulkarni and Abdulla brought Mumbai within 10 runs of the total of the visitors, who had knocked the 39-time winners out of the tournament in the quarter-finals last season, before the former was caught behind off Rajasthan's most impressive bowler Pankaj Singh.
The partnership raised by the duo for the sixth wicket was worth 106 runs in 213 balls.
Brief scores: Rajasthan 530 and 70-2. Mumbai 625 (Abshishek Nayar 243, Rohit Sharma 100, Pankaj Singh 5-111)
Delhi lose by an innings & 35 runs against Gujarat
Even skipper Mithun Manhas' 20th first-class century wasn't enough to save Delhi from the ignominy of an innings defeat against Gujarat in an Elite Group Ranji Trophy encounter in Valsad.
Gujarat won by an innings and 35 runs and more importantly dented the morale of a team that already lacks quality to make it to the next level of the national championships.
There was a sense of inevitability about the humiliation that Delhi faced but the question was whether they can fight out of their skin to at least get a point.
Starting the day at 170 for five, Delhi could merely add another 82 runs before they were all out for 252 in 81.3 overs. They could resist the inevitable for only 30.3 overs.
If one takes away the scores of Manhas and Dhawan which totals to 180 and extras being 6 runs, the rest of the nine batsmen managed only 66 runs between them.
Off the 82 runs scored today, Manhas scored 53 of them as he scored 103 before jumping out to offie Jesal Karia and was stumped by Parthiv Patel. He was the eighth batsman gone.
Brief Scores: Gujarat 520. Delhi 233 & 252 (Mithun Manhas 103, Shikhar Dhawan 77, I Chaudhary 3/55, J Karia 3/27).
UP earn 3 points vs Saurashtra
Uttar Pradesh failed to enforce an outright victory for the second match in succession as they had to be content with three points by virtue of first innings lead against Saurashtra in an Elite Group match of the Ranji Trophy in Meerut.
Starting the day 175 for four, UP batsmen failed to force the pace and finally declared at 317 for seven leaving Saurashtra with an impossible target of 399 in approximately 55 overs. The visitors were in no mood to chase and crawled their way to 85 for one in 41 overs.
UP thus got three points while Saurashtra after two matches are now on one point having failed to get any in their drawn opening game against Orissa.
Former UP captain Mohammed Kaif (60) who was at the crease for 11 overs could add only 7 runs to his overnight score of 53 before he was holed out to Sandeep Maniar off Ravindra Jadeja's bowling.
Arish Alam who was making his first-class comeback after six years also crawled his way to 99 with the help of 14 boundaries before he was trapped leg before by Jadeja.
India's ODI specialist finished with five for 77 -- his eighth five-wicket haul at the first-class level but it was little consequence in the end.
Saurashtra's batting approach was negative to say the least as their opener Chirag Pathak helped himself to his sixth first-class half century.
Brief Scores: UP 362 & 317/7 decl (Arish Alam 99, Mohd Kaif 60, Ravindra Jadeja 5/77). Saurashtra 281 & 85/1.
TN fall short 5 runs vs Haryana in an exciting contest
Former champions Tamil Nadu came tantalisingly close to winning their second Ranji Trophy Elite Group match against Haryana as they fell short by just five runs.
After dismissing Haryana for 200 runs in their second essay in the 74th over of the day, Tamil Nadu needed to make 146 for victory in 13 overs but they ended on 141 for eight when stumps were drawn.
Much of the credit for the chase should go to India discard Murali Vijay who hit five sixes in his 19-ball 42 before being run out. There were four run-outs in the innings. Former TN captain Dinesh Karthik also made a significant contribution scoring 55 off only 32 deliveries hitting two fours and three sixes in the process.
Even as Haryana were looking to score a point to deny a win for the hosts, Tamil Nadu slipped up in the end. Earlier, medium pacer V Yo Mahesh (6/47) ripped through the middle-order after the Haryana openers Rahul Dewan (51) and Nitin Saini (54) kept the rival bowlers at bay for some time.
Brief Scores: Haryana 348 & 200 (Rahul Dewan 51, Nitin Saini 54, V Yo Mahesh 6/47). Tamil Nadu 403 & 141/8 (Dinesh Karthik 55, M Vijay 42).
Baroda thrash MP, go top of table
Baroda crushed Madhya Pradesh by eight wickets in their Elite Group B match to go top of the table with seven points.
Requiring 54 runs to win, Baroda were 48 for two at close of play yesterday and overnight batsmen Rakesh Solanki (13)and Ambati Rayudu (10) completed the formalities in 1.2 overs this morning at the Motibag ground. Baroda had drawn their opening match of the league stage.
Madhya Pradesh had scored 365 in their second essay courtesy Naman Ojha (94), Devendra Bundela (47) and Taduri Sudhindra (49).
For Baroda, Irfan Pathan claimed five wickets in a first class match after long time. The out-of-favour Irfan, who bowled a controlled spell, got the ball to swing as he grabbed five for 54 (his 15th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket).
Three of his five wickets were caught by 'keeper Pinal Shah.
Baroda openers Aditya Waghmode (9) and Kedar Devhdar (20) were both dismissed thus robbing Baroda a chance to get bonus points yesterday.
It was bad luck that wicketkeeper Ojha missed a well deserved century by only 6 runs. Ojha and Bundela added 104 runs for third wicket. Another notable partnership was for the eighth wicket where Ankit Sharma and Taduri Sudhindra added 77 runs.
Brief Scores: Madhya Pradseh: 63 and 365 (Naman Ojha 94, Irfan Pathan 5/54). Baroda: 375 & 54/2.
