Ranji Trophy semi-finals: Mumbai take 101-run first innings lead over Tamil Nadu

Rajkot, Jan 3 (IANS) Defending champions Mumbai took a pivotal 101-run first innings lead, after managing 406 on the third day of the Ranji Trophy semi-final against Tamil Nadu at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium here on Tuesday.

For Tamil Nadu, Vijay Shankar scalped four wickets for 59 runs while Baba Aparajith took two wickets. Ashwin Crist, Thangarasu Natarajan and Raju Aushik Srinivas chipped in with one wicket each.

Resuming the day at 171/4, overnight batsmen Aditya Tare and Shreyas Iyre added 62 runs to the score before Iyre was caught behind in the 64th over by Dinesh Karthik.

The wicket brought in Abhishek Nayar, who along with Tare forged a crucial 121-run partnership for the sixth wicket to take Mumbai past the 300 run mark.

Nayar, who was looking good at the crease was then sent back to the pavilion by Aparajith in 105th over. His 58 run knock was laced with nine boundaries.

Soon, Tare was also sent packing in the 110th over. He slammed nine boundaries in his 181 ball knock.

A crucial 44-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Balwinder Sandhu and Shardul Thakur then steadied the innings for Mumbai and helped them to take a handsome lead.

The last two wickets also contributed to the score with 14 and 27 run partnerships at the end.

Brief scores: Tamil Nadu 1st innings 305 all out; Mumbai 1st innings 406 (Aditya Tare 83, Suryakumar Yadav 73, Praful Waghela 48; Vijay Shanar 4-59, Baba Aparajith 2-35).