Mumbai notch a perfect ten to top zonal standings

Mumbai notch a perfect ten to top zonal standings
ROHIT JOSHI

SURAT, DECEMBER 30: One session this morning was enough for Mumbai to coast to a comprehensive 10-wicket victory over Gujarat in the West Zone Ranji Trophy league match which concluded at the Lalbhai Contractor Stadium here on Thursday.

Mumbai, who failed to make the grade last season, collected eight points and now lead the zonal table with 19 from three games. With the last zonal game left against Saurashtra, from January 2 at Mumbai, they appear favourites to regain their status as zonal champions.

Gujarat, who began with six points from two games, ended with the same number of points from three games. They take on Maharashtra in their last league encounter at Ahmedabad's Motera stadium from January 9 with almost no hope of qualifying for the Super League.

Resuming at 93 for 6 on the last day, Gujarat's innings folded up at 167, with opener Nilesh Modi (54: 169b, 169b, 6x4) waging a lone battle. Left with a victory target of 54, openers Wasim Jaffer (19 not out: 34b, 3x4) and Amit Pagnis (29 not out: 35b, 6x4) finished the task by lunch time.

Scoreboard
Gujarat (1st innings): 305
Mumbai (1st innings): 419
Gujarat (2nd innings; overnight 93-6): Amrish Kotecha c Paranjpe b Mhambrey 6, Nilesh Modi c Pagnis b Pawar 54, Keyur Padia run out (Saxena) 5, Kirat Damani lbw Mhambrey 21, Tejas Varsani b Mhambrey 0, Mihir Sheth c&b Kuruvilla 4, Pathik Patel b Mhambrey 9, Bhavin Mehta c Pawar b Saxena 13, Lalit Patel not out 24, Bhavik Patel c sub (Sheryas Khanolkar) b Pawar 4, Hitesh Majumdar c&b Kulkarni 2; Extras: (b6, lb9, nb10) 25. Total: (all out in 63.2 overs) 167
Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Kotecha), 2-32 (Padia), 3-61 (Damani), 4-61 (Varsani), 5-69 (Sheth), 6-93 (P Patel), 7-108 (Bhavin), 8-138 (Modi), 9-164 (Bhavik).
Bowling: Mhambrey 16-6-31-4, Saxena 16-2-47-1, Kuruvilla 8-1-26-1, Kulkarni 9.2-5-10-1, Pawar 14-4-38-2
Mumbai (2nd innings): Wasim Jaffer not out 19, Amit Pagnis not out 29; Extras: 7 (b2, lb5). Total: (for no loss in 10.5 overs) 55
Bowling: Bhavik Patel 4-1-12-0, Majumdar 4-0-13-0, Sheth 1.5-0-19-0, Lalit Patel 1-0-4-0.
Result: Mumbai won by ten wickets

Kotak, Bhatt in rescue act
PUNE: Superb batting by skipper Sitanshu Kotak (126: 16x4) and Prakash Bhatt (85: 230b, 12x4) helped Saurashtra post 374 for five wickets in the second innings on the final day of their West Zone Ranji Trophy league tie against Maharashtra which ended in a tame draw here today.

Saurashtra had scored 217 for 9 in their first innings, while Maharashtra posted 431 all out in their first outing. Maharashtra got five points by virtue of their first innings lead, while Saurashtra gained three.

Scoreboard
Saurashtra (1st innings): 217
Maharashtra (1st innings): 431
Saurashtra (2nd innings; overnight 165-2): Sudhir Tanna c Sane b Kulkarni 19, R Vasanta Kumar c Kondhalkar b Kulkarni 46, Sitanshu Kotak c Jadhav b Sane 126, Prakash Bhatt lbw Siddique 85, Bimal Jadeja no out 53, Manoj Parmar c Jadhav b Siddiqui 7, Yusuf Bambhania not out 15; Extras: (b4, lb8, nb11) 23. Total (for five wickets off 183 overs) 374
Fall of wickets: 1-65, 2-71, 3-253, 4-312, 5-340.
Bowling: Siddiqui 37-8-91-2, Kulkarni 32-8-86-2, Nair 14-3-41-0, Lande 28-10-35-0, Sane 24-2-61-1, Bhave 3-0-11-0, Kale 4-0-14-0, Jadhav 2-0-4-0, Aphale 2-1-1-0, Sugvekar 4-0-18-0
Naidu, Gandhe excel
KANPUR: Aalind Naidu (batting 75) and Ulhas Gandhe (batting 76) salvaged some pride with a fourth-wicket association worth 145 runs for Vidarbha on the penultimate day of their four-day Central Zone Ranji Trophy league match against Uttar Pradesh at the Green Park Stadium here today.Brief Scores: Vidarbha 98 & 245-3 (A Naidu batting 75, U Gandhe 76; AW Zaidi 3-94) vs UP 404 (Mohd Kaif 112, Rizwan Shamshad 95; Abhijit Piprode 3-80).

Rajasthan gain lead
NEW DELHI: Rajasthan gained the vital first innings lead over Railways on the penultimate day of the four-day Central Zone Ranji Trophy tie here on Thursday. After conceding 82-run lead, Railways' Abhay Sharma (65) steered the side 147-3 at close.
Brief scores: Railways 132 & 147-3 (A Sharma 65) vs Rajasthan 214 (N Doru 35, Krishna Kumar 39, R Jhalani 40; H Singh 4-63, M Karthik 4-53)

Hyderabad salvage draw
CHENNAI: A worthy 135 (301b, 13x4) by opener Nandakishore and a fine 69 (9x4) by skipper Mohammad Azharuddin, who raised 123 runs for the third wicket enabled Hyderabad avoid defeat and salvage three points from their four-day Ranji Trophy cricket match against Tamil Nadu which ended in a draw here today.
Brief Scores: TN 404 drew with Hyderabad 205 & 338-8 (Nandakishore 135, M Azharuddin 69, Fiaz Ahmed 51; A Kapoor 4-97; S Mahesh 2-56).