Mumbai performed protected and picked up three factors towards Tamil Nadu within the Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match right here on the Brabourne Stadium on Friday.
In the final session of the ultimate day, Mumbai wanted 212 runs for an outright win towards Tamil Nadu. It was a difficult affair, with simply 32 overs remaining and the ball turning a bit. Mumbai, nevertheless, earned a draw, reaching 137-3 when unhealthy gentle stopped play.
After Pradosh Ranjan Paul (169 off 308 balls) and Vijay Shankar’s 103 (174b, 13×4) helped Tamil Nadu attain 548 within the second innings and take a giant lead, Mumbai had a tricky job in hand.
Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (66 not out off 60) and Prithvi Shaw confirmed intent and introduced up 30 runs in 4 overs earlier than the latter edged a Lakshminarayanan Vignesh supply behind the stumps into the protected fingers of Tamil Nadu stumper N Jagadeesan.
Yet, Jaiswal and Armaan Jaffer maintained the run charge to round six per over to remain within the hunt. While Jaiswal hit a six and a few boundaries, the gifted Jaffer minimize and drove properly earlier than being stumped off a R Sai Kishore supply.
With two wickets down for 94 in 15.3 overs, Mumbai modified its technique, and captain Ajinkya Rahane had a mid-pitch chat with Jaiswal, asking him to not be aggressive and play based on the advantage of the supply.
However, Rahane’s keep was minimize quick by a wily stumping by Jagadeesan off Sai Kishore after the batter performed simply 18 deleveries.
As the day progressed, Mumbai marched in direction of a draw and packeted three essential factors earlier than its away fixture towards Assam subsequent week. Jaiswal, who overcame a cramp throughout his 66 runs unbeaten knock, and Sarfaraz Khan hung in there earlier than the umpires drew curtains on the sport as a consequence of unhealthy gentle.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu batters Pradosh Paul and Vijay Shankar dominated the morning session of the play. While Paul continued his dream run, mentioning his first 150-plus rating in first-class cricket, it was an outing to recollect for the comeback man Vijay.
A shoulder surgical procedure after final yr’s IPL pressured him to be out of motion for seven months, however the seasoned campaigner stood out when it mattered essentially the most.
Starting the day at 380 for 4, Paul and Vijay had been in no hurry to maintain the scoreboard rolling and took their time to regulate earlier than hitting a couple of boundaries. As the floor flattened, Mumbai misplaced a possibility when Vijay, batting on 61, was dropped by Mohit Avasthi at third man. A dejected Avasthi needed to be comforted by his teammates. However, with the visiting facet trying decided, Mumbai couldn’t discover a headway.
By Vijay’s personal admission, ‘it was a poor shot’ at that juncture of the sport, and taking classes from that, he performed risk-free photographs to deliver up his sixth first-class century.
However, Tanush Kotian (4-129) broke the partnership simply after lunch as Paul was caught by Avasthi at covers. A couple of minutes later, Vijay, too, departed when he was trapped leg earlier than by the identical bowler.
Tamil Nadu’s effort to rebuild the innings went in useless, with Shahrukh Khan and Sai Kishore managing simply 36 runs earlier than Shams Mulani claimed two back-to-back wickets, dismissing Sai Kishore and Aswin Crist. And that dented Tamil Nadu’s hopes of extending the lead.
But the overall of 548 proved the Tamil Nadu critics, who didn’t anticipate the workforce to present a battle to Mumbai after being bowled out for 144 within the first innings, mistaken.