Maharashtra look to save the game

Pune: Kedar Jadhav missed a century by a mere run, but more than that, Maharashtra were made to follow-on by Saurashtra on Day 3 of their Ranji Trophy match being played at Golf Club Ground in Nashik, as the hosts stare at probable season-defining defeat.

After being bowled out for 247 in their first innings, in which Kedar Jadhav scored 99, Maharashtra were 157 for three in their second essay, just six runs ahead of Saurashtra’s first innings tally of 398. At Stumps, wicketkeeper-batsman Rohit Motwani, who came out to bat at No. 3, was unbeaten on 65 along with skipper Ankeet Bawne on 13.

Earlier, resuming from 86 for 3, Maharashtra’s batsmen danced on the tunes of Chetan Sakariya, who picked up a six-wickets giving away 63 runs, out of which five came on the third day morning. India international Jadhav held one end briefly for the hosts, but wickets kept tumbling from the other end until he gave away his wicket to part-time off-spinner Kamlesh Makvana, who castled the 33-year-old batsmen.

Following on, Maharashtra lost opener Chirag Khurana (15) with just 17 runs on board, but Jay Pande (26) and Motwani steadied the ship. After Pande departed, Rahul Tripathi played a short-lived knock of 38 in just 16 balls with five fours and two sixes, before he was trapped lbw by Dharmendrasinh Jadeja.
At Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai took slender 29-run first innings lead, by bowling out Baroda on 436, but were reduced 20 for 2 by Hardik Pandya.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya, who is playing this game to prove his fitness to the national selectors, scored a patient 73 off 137 balls with nine fours and a six. But apart from overnight centurions -- Aditya Waghmode (114) and Vishnu Solanki (133), Shivalik Sharma (51) and Pandya, no other Baroda batsman could make a valuable contribution, as the visitors conceded the first innings lead. For Mumbai, Royston Dias (4/99) and Shubham Ranjane (3/62) were the pick of the bowlers.