Shashwat Rawat notched up his third hundred of the season. Captain Vishnu Solanki woke up from his slumber with the willow with a sturdy century. And the duo sent shivers in the Mumbai camp with a 174-run partnership.
However, Shams Mulani’s marathon spell and Tushar Deshpande’s crucial strikes helped Mumbai earn the vital first-innings lead against Baroda in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal. However, Baroda’s spirited show — it conceded a 36-run lead and then reduced Mumbai to 21 for one at stumps on day three — has left an enticing last two days’ play in prospect at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy ground.
Rawat and Solanki resumed their overnight 62-run association and hardly looked in trouble as the pitch got slower and the bowlers let the duo rotate strike easily. Soon after Rawat flicked Mulani for a single and raised his bat, he was dropped by ’keeper Tamore in Musheer Khan’s first over. It resulted in Mumbai being in a spot of bother at lunch, with Baroda 233 for two.
