Ranji Trophy: Atit, Meriwala rattle Mumbai with five-wicket hauls

The 41-time champion's Ranji Trophy match started on a disastrous note when Atit Sheth and Lukeman Meriwala's five-wicket hauls sent it spiralling to 171 all out.

Mumbai's Prithvi Shaw had no answer to this screamer from Baroda's Atit Sheth.

Mumbai's landmark Ranji Trophy game started on a sour note when Baroda fast bowler Atit Sheth (5/50) bamboozled the Mumbai batsmen by exposing limitations against the moving ball as it slumped to 171 all out in its first innings of a Ranji Trophy Group-C match here on Thursday.

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Along with Sheth's masterclass, a lively Wankhede track and Lukman Meriwala's identical five-wicket haul (5/52) spelt Mumbai's doom as the 41-time champion endured a woeful day.

Sheth, an India U-19 bowler, dismissed big guns — Prithvi Shaw, Aditya Tare, Ajinkya Rahane, Abhishek Nayar and Dhawal Kulkarni while the pressure on other batsmen allowed Lukeman Meriwala to deal timely blows from the other end.

Lukman Meriwala (left) and Atit Sheth, who took five wickets apiece, walk back to the pavillion after Mumbai was bowled out for 171.

Mumbai skipper Aditya Tare offered some resistance by toiling his way to a 50 with eight fours while his teammates were on a different wavelength against the Baroda swing bowlers. The lesser-fancied bowlers, relishing assistance off the track, left the mighty in trouble at 103-5, before Mumbai gained a glimmer of hope from a lower order fightback that boosted the total to respectability.

READ: As the first day panned out

Baroda ended the first day on 63/1, 108 runs behind. Baroda hardly missed the absence of Munaf Patel, Irfan Pathan and Hardik Pandya as Sheth sprung into action soon after the action started when he struck in the first and third overs.

Prithvi Shaw’s 18th birthday celebrations was soured when he lost his middle stump trying to drive off the fifth ball faced. Shaw’s exit was followed by another jolt in the third over when Rahane struggled to counter the swing and edged to first slip.

It was soon Meriwala's turn to join the party when he forced Shreyas Iyer to follow an outswinger to second slip. Suryakumar Yadav lasted 16 balls before running out on patience while Tare’s efforts crashed when Sheth picked him and the slide continued for Mumbai.

It was evident that this young Baroda side is determined to prove that it is no pushover. Baroda's Vishnu Solanki later faced the home team's attack with confidence and left his skipper Deepak Hooda, who won the toss in the morning, upbeat.