Middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer’s half-century helped keep multiple-time champions Mumbai in the hunt after the title holders conceded the first innings lead to Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy cricket tournament final in Indore on Thursday.
Iyer made 82 off 137 deliveries with the help of nine boundaries and two sixes as Mumbai reached 208 for three in their second innings to take a lead of 108 runs at stumps on day three of the five-day encounter.
Besides Iyer, young Prithvi Shaw, who made 71 in the first innings, smashed 44 off 35 balls.
Shaw and Akhil Herwadkar (16) got Mumbai off to a quick start in their second innings with a 54-run opening stand before medium pacer Chintan Gaja (3/54) picked up both the Mumbai batsmen in quick succession.
Then, Iyer and Surya Kumar Yadav stitched a 127-run partnership for the third wicket to bring Mumbai back into the game after the former champions conceded the first innings lead to their opponents.
But Iyer, who was batting confidently till then, fell in similar fashion to Shaw, giving a straight-forward catch to Patel behind the stumps off Gaja in the 60th over with Mumbai scoreboard reading 193.
At stumps, Yadav was batting on 45 alongside Mumbai skipper Aditya Tare (13 not out).
Earlier, resuming their first innings on 291 for six in reply to Mumbai's 228 all out, the remaining four Gujarat batsmen added 37 runs before being bowled out for 328 in 104.3 overs.
Paceman Shardul Thakur (4/84) picked up four wickets for Mumbai while Balwinder Sandhu (3/63) and Abhishek Nayar (3/101) shared the remaining six wickets between them.
After conceding the first innings lead, Mumbai now have no option but to go for an outright win in the remaining two full day's play if they are to clinch the Ranji title for a record 42nd time.
Brief Scores:
Mumbai: 228 & 208 for three in 67 overs (Shreyas Iyer 82, Suryakumar Yadav 45 not out, Prithvi Shaw 44; Chintan Gaja 3/54).
Gujarat: 328 all out in 104.3 overs (Parthiv Patel 90, Manprit Juneja 77; Shardul Thakur 4/84).
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