Arpit Vasavada’s grinding half-century saved the blushes for Saurashtra on the opening day of the third-round Ranji Trophy Group B clash against Mumbai at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy ground here on Tuesday.
While it was remotely close to Mumbai’s 641-run first-innings total against Hyderabad at the venue last week, stand-in captain Vasavada’s stoic 75 (155b, 9x4) helped Saurashtra finish at a respectable 289 before it jolted the home side’s openers early on.
Left-arm seamer Chetan Sakariya - operating the new ball for Saurashtra in regular skipper Jaydev Unadkat’s absence - cleaned up Prithvi Shaw in the first over. Chirag Jani struck in the next over from the opposite end. He removed the in-form Yashasvi Jaiswal (2) as Mumbai was reduced to 36 for two at stumps.
Earlier, Saurashtra was thrown a curveball after opting to bat first. Mumbai seamers Tushar Deshpande and Mohit Avasthe sliced it to 73 for three, with the run out of opener Jay Gohill aiding the cause. However, Sheldon Jackson and Vasavada plugged an impending collapse with a brief 54-run stand for the fourth wicket - the only fifty-plus partnership in Saurashtra’s innings.
Mumbai turned to left-arm spinner Shams Mulani — he instantly speared through the middle-order by taking out Jackson (47), Samarth Vyas (0) and Prerak Mankad (27). Off-spinner Shashank Attarde, who replaced the injured Tanush Kotian in the Mumbai XI, added two wickets before Mulani (4/109) returned to castle the scrambling Vasavada and wrap up the innings.
Saurashtra will now need to get through the menacing Suryakumar Yadav (18 batting) and Ajinkya Rahane (12 batting) early on day two before staking its claim for the first-innings lead.
The scores: Saurashtra — 1st innings: Jay Gohill run out 24, Harvik Desai lbw Deshpande 12, Chirag Jani c & b Avasthi 18, Sheldon Jackson c Tamore b Mulani 47, Arpit Vasavada c Sarfaraz b Mulani 75, Samarth Vyas b Mulani 0, Prerak Mankad c Rahane b Mulani 27, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja c Jaiswal b Attarde 24, Chetan Sakariya b Deshpande 19, Yuvrajsinh Dodiya not out 1; Extras (b-13, lb-3, nb-1) 17; Total (all out in 79.1 overs): 289.
Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-43, 3-73, 4-127, 5-127, 6-173, 7-214, 8-244, 9-272.
Mumbai bowling: Deshpande 15-5-36-2, Avasthi 12-4-30-1, Mulani 29.1-4-109-4, Attarde 18-1-77-2, Musheer 5-1-21-0.
Mumbai — 1st innings: Prithvi Shaw b Sakariya 4, Jaiswal b Jani 2, Suryakumar Yadav (batting) 18, Ajinkya Rahane (batting) 12; Total (for two wkts. in 8 overs): 36.
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-6.
Saurashtra bowling: Sakariya 3-1-5-1, Jani 2-0-10-1, Jadeja 2-0-13-0, Bhut 1-0-8-0.
Toss: Saurashtra.
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