Defeat Maharashtra by nine wickets to earn full points

Chasing a meagre target of 74 runs in their second innings, defending champions Mumbai cruised to a nine-wicket win over Maharashtra in their second round Group ‘A’ Ranji Trophy league match on Monday. The maiden win of the 2024-25 season in their first home game compensated for their 84 runs loss to Baroda in their opening game last week and also earned them six points.

Resuming at 13 for no loss, the 42-time defending champion lost their young opener and centurion of the first innings Ayush Mhatre (15) cheaply, before experienced campaigner Prithvi Shaw (39 n.o. off 36 balls) and wicket keeper Hardik Tamore (21 n.o. off 26 balls) guided Mumbai home in 13.3 overs at the picturesque MCA  ground at BKC, Mumbai.

The match was won and lost on the opening day itself when Mumbai bowled out their rivals for 126 in 31.4 overs in their first innings after their pacer Shardul Thakur (2/51) and Mohit Avasthi (3/31) bowled well in tandem, after Maharashtra had won the toss and elected to bat. The duo struck at regular intervals and sent back half the Maharashtra side back into the pavilion for mere 41 runs in less than 10 overs. Fellow pacer Royston Dias (2/32)  too joined the party before left arm spinner Shams Mulani (3/7) expedited the down fall, despite lower middle order batter Nikhil Naik (38) and Azim Kazi (36*) brief resistance with their 58 runs seventh wicket stand.

In response riding on 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre's smashing maiden century 176 off 232 balls which included 22 boundaries and four massive sixes and Test discard Shreyas Iyer's belligerent 142 off 190 balls laced with 12 boundaries and four sixes, that ended his 35-month-long drought for a First Class hundred, host Mumbai posted an imposing 441 runs in their first innings.

Crucial hundreds by Maharashtra skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and seasoned middle-order batter Ankit Bawne, after opener Sachin Dhas crucial 98 off 208 balls on the third day prevented an innings defeat in the face of 315 runs first innings deficit.

Playing in only his third first-class match, Sachin who like his skipper Ruturaj had scored a golden duck in the first innings, paved the way for recovery with their 222 runs partnership for the second wicket, 141 of which had come on the second day.

Shams however provided the much needed break through with the prized scalp of Ruturaj (145) and had him caught by his skipper Ajinkya Rahane in the slip, not before the south paw had struck 16 fours and two sixes during his monumental effort off 171 balls. Sachin too perished off a short ball off Mohit soon after, two runs short of what would have been a well-deserved hundred. Off-spinner Tanush Kotian (3/74) picked up three wickets including two in an over to leave Maharashtra at 295 for six.  

Veteran Ankit (101), who made his debut way back in 2007 as 15 year-old, saw Maharashtra erase their deficit soon after he had scored a half century His stubborn innings however was ended by Shams (3/155) soon after he reached the triple figure mark, his 24 first class century, not before he had added 88-runs with Satyajeet Bachhav (20) for the seventh wicket. Mumbai soon wrapped up Maharashtra's innings at 388 by taking the last four wickets for mere five runs.   

Brief Scores (Round 2)

Maharashtra: 1st Innings  - 126/10 in 31.4 overs (Nikhil Naik 38, Azim Kazi 36*, Shams Mulani 3/7, Mohit Avasthi 3/31, Royston Dias 2/32, Shardul Thakur 2/51) & 2nd Innings- 388/10 in 106.3 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 145, Ankit Bawane 101, Sachin Dhas 98, Mohit Avasthi 3/65, Tanush Kotian 3/74, Shams Mulani 3/155, Shardul Thakur 1/68) lost to Mumbai: 1st Innings- 441/10 in 103.1 overs (Ayush Mhatre 176, Shreyas Iyer 142, Ajinkya Rahane 31, Hitesh Walunj 6/134) & 2nd Innings- 75/1 in 13.3 overs (Prithvi Shaw 39*) by nine wickets. Player of the Match: Ayush Mhatre (Mumbai)

Photo Above: Mumbai’s 17 year old teenager Ayush Mhatre (176) who scored his maiden century against Maharashtra in only his third outing in Ranji Trophy his was named the Player of the Match (Photo courtesy Internet)