Ranji Trophy: Mumbai on brink of victory vs Hyderabad

Raipur, Dec 26 (IANS) Left-arm spinner Vijay Gohil made a five-wicket haul to help put Mumbai on the brink of victory in their Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Hyderabad here on Monday.

Gohil returned figures of 5/28 to leave Hyderabad reeling on 121/7 in their second innings, still 111 runs short of victory.

Pacer Abhishek Nayar also bowled well for Mumbai, fetching figures of 2/27 off 14 overs.

Balchander Anirudh was among the few Hyderabad batsmen to withstand the Mumbai bowlers, remaining unbeaten on 40 at the day's close.

Chasing a target of 332 runs, Hyderabad suffered an early setback when opener Akshath Reddy was caught behind off Nayar's bowling.

Gohil then pulled off a caught and bowled attempt to send back the other Hyderabad opener, Tanmay Agarwal.

Hyderabad lost wickets at regular intervals thereafter although Balchander Anirudh and Bavanaka Sandeep tried to stem the rot with a 44-run stand.

Nayar put an end to the partnership by dismissing Sandeep, whose 25 runs came off 42 balls with four hits to the ropes.

Anirudh, whose patient 111-ball innings featured just one boundary and a six, contined to defy the Mumbai bowlers even as wickets continued to fall at the other end.

Chama Milind, who was yet to open his account, was giving Anirudh company at stumps.

Earlier, pacer Mohammed Siraj spearheaded the Hyderabad bowling, also pulling off a five-wicket haul, as Mumbai were dismissed for 217 runs in their second innings.

Siraj notched up figures of 5/52 while Milind and Akash Bhandari bagged two wickets each.

Resuming at the overnight score of 102/3, Mumbai lost Praful Waghela in the seventh over of the day.

Waghela showcased extreme patience, facing 110 balls for his 28 runs.

Aditya Tare, who was the top scorer in Mumbai's second innings with 57 runs, was the next to go when he was bowled by Siraj.

The rest of the Mumbai batsmen could not last long as Siraj cleaned up the tailenders.

Brief scores:

Hyderabad: 280 & 121/7 (Balchander Anirudh 40 batting; Vijay Gohil 5/28) vs Mumbai: 294 & 217 (Aditya Tare 57, Siddesh Lad 46; Mohammed SIraj 5/52)

--IANS

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