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Tea time.

202 /8 at tea in 57 overs. A star studded batting lineup lost 8 wickets. Surely Vidarbha would be pleased after opting to bowl first. However, the wicket looks as if the spinners will have a big part to play in coming days.

Apparently, there is lot of grass and the patch of grass is extending to the length at which spinners are pitching the ball. Might be it will dry up gradually and we shall be ble to see the true nature of Day 4 and 5 Wankhede wicket. That will be good for Mumbai bowling second

Run out. Mumbai 218/9

Ball touches boot of Umesh Yadav underneath his shoe sole and hits the stumps. Tushar Deshpande out for 14.

Mumbai dismissed for 224.

Shardul trying to hit as Mumbai had just one wicket left. Well made 75. Rescued Mumbai and took to some score today.

2 wickets to Umesh Yadav.

If only England India test series was 4 test one. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan would be playing for Mumbai in the finals. Vidarbha would have got none of the Indian team players.

Rohit Sharma would not have played Ranji finals for Mumbai though even if he had no international match going on.

Early wicket.

After an excellent innings with the bat, Shardul strikes with his 3rd ball of first over. LBW which wasn't given out was reviewed by Mumbai. Dhruv Shorey out without scoring. Trapped playing on the front foot Vidarbha 1-1 in 2.3 overs.

Ajinkya Rahane has to bring his profound experience as domestic and International cricketer to use by captaining the Mumbai team well. With a low first innings score of 224, his decisions are more crucial in fielding innings. Also to his help is veteran domestic cricketer Dhawal Kulkarni , playing his last FC match today, who has played huge amount of domestic cricket and captained Mumbai for several seasons as well. So leadership thinking isn't an issue at all for this big match. Mumbai well equipped in that department with these two veterans.

2 down as Dhawal kularni strikes. Aman Mokhade edges out trying to play a drive on the off side. Nice low catch taken by Hardik Tamore to his right.

Vidarbha 20/2.

Karun Nair who once scored that 303* against England at Chennai in 2016 takes strike. Mumbai needs his wicket. And then Akshay Wadkar who ahs played clutch knocks in some of past Ranji seasons matches. Karun moving from Karnataka team to Vidarbha this season.


Mumbai are having three frontline pacers. Tushar Deshpande is yet to bowl. If Shardul, Dhawal and Tushar knock off top 3 or 4 wickets then the spinners liek Shams Mulani will find the job much easier. This isn't a problematic wicket to bat on though. So Mumbai need another couple of wickets before they hand it to spinners .

Big Wicket. Karun out. Dhaval gets an edge from Karun's bat and once again a nice low diving catch slightly to his right by Hardik Tamore. Nice line on the off stump that.

Vidarbha 24/3

3 slip fielders and two fielding in gully.

Stumps.

Vidarbha trail by 193 runs with 7 wickets intact.

13 wickets on Day 1 for 255 runs. The wicket isn't what scorecard shows.

Mumbai looking for 42nd Ranji trophy win whereas Vidarbha fighting for their 3rd.

Vidarbha have collapsed to 97/ 8 in 41.2 overs.

Vidarbha all-out for 104 in 45.3 overs. 7 wickets for Mumbai in the first session and its Lunch.


Mumbai will start 2nd batting innings with a lead of 119 runs which is very significant as Vidarbha will be batting last on spin friendly Wankede wicket.

Lunch Day 3

Mumbai are 262/3 in 2nd innings. Effective lead is 381. Ajinkya, Shreyas and Musheer scored 50 + .

Mumbai well on path to win 43rd Ranji Trophy title.

Tea time

Leading by 476 runs. 4 wickets intact. This is Mumbai's match to win.

407/8. Lead is now 526.l with 2 wickets intact. This is great stuff by Mumbai batsmen.

Mumbai set Vidarbha 538 to win.

Vidarbha in reply are 10 for no loss at Stumps Day 3.