Ranji Trophy 2023-24 quarterfinals: Mulani, Deshpande strike as Mumbai takes first-innings lead against Baroda on Day 3

Shams Mulani’s first marathon spell of the season and Tushar Deshpande’s crucial strikes helped Mumbai earn the all-important first-innings advantage against Baroda in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal.

Mumbai’s Shams Mulani in action. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI

Shashwat Rawat notched up his third hundred of the season. Captain Vishnu Solanki woke up from his slumber with the willow with a sturdy century. And the duo sent shivers in the Mumbai camp with a 174-run partnership.

However, Shams Mulani’s first marathon spell of the season and Tushar Deshpande’s crucial strikes helped Mumbai earn the all-important first-innings advantage against Baroda in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal.

However, Baroda’s spirited show, conceding a 36-run lead and then reducing Mumbai to 21 for one at Stumps on Day 3 at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy ground, has left an enticing last two days’ play in prospect.

Only if Mumbai batters are able to grind, like Musheer Khan and Hardik Tamore – who had to come in as makeshift opener in place of an injured Prithvi Shaw – did in the first essay, will the home side be able to comfortably seal a semifinal showdown against Tamil Nadu.

READ | Ranji Trophy quarterfinal: Vidarbha ends Karnataka’s batting stint and builds on its big lead at the end of day three

Rawat and Solanki resumed their overnight 62-run unbroken association and seldom looked in trouble in the morning session. With the pitch getting slower and the bowlers letting the duo rotate strike easily, there was enough room for the duo, especially the left-handed Rawat, to even create boundary opportunities.

Soon after he flicked Mulani for a single on the on-side and raised his bat, he was fortunate to have been dropped by keeper Tamore in Musheer’s first over. It resulted in Mumbai being in a spot of bother at lunch, with Baroda 233 for four.

In the third over after the break, Deshpande beat Rawat with his raw pace and the nick was sharply caught by Shaw in the slips. While Shaw rushed back to the dressing room to nurse a broken nail, Mulani took over, bowling with the new ball that was opted in the 82nd over.

He got rid of Shivalik Sharma (holed out at deep mid-wicket) and Mitesh Patel (straight ball) off successive balls to give Mumbai the edge.

Despite losing Ninad Rathva (caught in the slips off offie Tanush Kotian) and Mahesh Pithiya (plumb in front off Mulani) in the same session, captain Solanki was going strong, completing his ninth First-Class hundred with a glorious cover-drive off Kotian.

As he found a reliable ally in debutant Raj Limbani, Baroda continued to inch closer to Mt. 385. However, once Musheer forced a nick off Limbani’s blade for Ajinkya Rahane to complete a neat catch, Deshpande enticed Solanki into an edge. A short ball, followed by a full-length ball, did the trick as Baroda lost the last three wickets for a solitary run.

With Shaw unable to bat, Tamore walked in along with Bhupen Lalwani, but Bhargav Bhatt drew Lalwani into a false stroke for Rathva to complete a smart catch in the cordon.

With a lead of 57 and nine wickets to spare – Shaw should be able to bat on Day 4 –the onus is on Baroda to force a result.

BRIEF SCORES

Mumbai 384 & 21/1 leads Baroda 348 (Shashwat Rawat 124, Vishnu Solanki 136; Shams Mulani 4/121) by 57 runs.