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Paras Mhambrey slams maiden Ranji ton

An unbeaten maiden Ranji Trophy century by Paras Mhambrey (111 not out) and his 85-run eighth wicket partnership with Shriram Kannan (35) helped Mumbai take a 149-run first innings lead over Maharashtra on the second day of the four-day West Zone Ranji Trophy league match at the Wankhede stadium in Bombay.

At close of play, Mumbai were 291 for nine.

Mumbai were reduced to 139 for seven wickets at one stage by some superb bowling from Iqbal Siddique who grabbed six wickets. However, they recovered through the efforts of Mhambrey and Kannan. The duo played superbly, executing shots on both sides of the wicket and were unafraid to use the aerial route.

Mhambrey came to the crease at the fall of Vinod Kambli's wicket, with the score reading 127 for six. In the very next over he lost his captain Amol Muzumdar, but did not let the pressure to get to him. Displaying a cool head, he slammed three sixes as he raced to his hundred to ensure that Mumbai were on firm terrain.

Kannan too was in a punishing mood and was especially severe on off-spinner Satyen Lande, smashing him for a four and a six over midwicket in the same over. However, his fighting knock came to an end when he tried to slash at a delivery from Siddique only to get an edge for Kondhalkar behind the stumps to gobble it up.

Mhambrey reached his first hundred in first class cricket in style, moving from 91 to 103 in the space of three balls. At the close, he was still there with 111 from 160 balls with as many as 16 hits to the fence and three huge sixes.

Earlier in the morning, the Mumbai batsmen were done in by some superb seam bowling by Iqbal Siddique who returned with figures of 6 for 63. The Maharashtra fielding was also at its best with Surendra Bhave taking two outstanding, diving catches at gully to get rid off Jatin Paranjpe and Manoj Joglekar.

Scoreboard'
Maharashtra (1st innings): 142 all out
Mumbai (1st innings: (overnight 25 for no loss)
M Joglekar c S Bhave b I Siddique 9
W Jaffer c S Kondhalkar b I Siddique 18
J Paranjpe c S Bhave b I Siddique 18
A Muzumdar c Kamtekar b Siddique 25
A Rane lbw M Kulkarni 19
V Kambli c S Nair b S Lande 29
P Mhambrey batting 111
R Pawar c D Jadhav b Siddique 0
S Kannan c Kondhalkar b Siddique 35
N Kulkarni c Kondhalkar b M Kulkarni 4
S Saxena batting 0
Extras: (12lb, 11nb): 23
Total (for nine wickets in 100 overs, 454 minutes): 291
Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-50, 3-57, 4-89, 5-127, 6-127, 7-139, 8-224, 9-255
Bowling: I Siddique 28-12-63-6; S Nair 20-3-80-0 (6nb); M Kulkarni 26-12-54-2 (1nb); Kamtekar 8-3-20-0 (3nb); S Lande 15-6-53-1; S Sugvekar 2-0-9-0 (1nb); S Bhave 1-1-0-0.

Chennai: Kerala were tottering at 104 for five wickets in reply to Tamil Nadu's first innings score of 305 at stumps on the second day of the South Zone Ranji league match at the M A Chidambaram stadium here today.

At close, opener S Shankar (41) and captain K N Anantapadmanabhan (24) were at the crease.

Shankar, who compiled his score with the help of four fours, has been at the wicket for 239 minutes as Kerala's top order collapsed again as in the match against Karnataka.

Opener Varun Girilal (9), S Manoj (o), Ajay Kuduwa (8), vice-captain Sunil Oasis (o) and left-hander K Chandrasekhara (19) fell cheaply to Tamil Nadu seamers S Mahesh (2-30), the recalled D J Gokulakrishnan (2-220) and left arm spinner Vidhyut Sivaramakrishnan (1-14) in the 52 overs of Kerala's batting so far. Kerala were still 201 runs behind.

Earlier, resuming at the overnight score of 225 for 5, Tamil Nadu failed to run up a big score and were all out for 305, six minutes after lunch. The overnight pair of captain S Sharath (91 - 335 minutes with ten fours) and Reuben Paul (36 in 116 minutes, one six and four fours) were out rather quickly.

Debutant medium pacer Ranjit Menon (6-70) was Kerala's most successful bowler.

Brief scores: Tamil Nadu 305 (S Sharath 91, Reuben Paul 36, D J Gokulakrishnan 29, Vidhyut Sivaramakrishnan 22, Ranjit Menon 6-70).

Rohtak: Hosts Haryana registered a thumping 248-run victory over Himachal Pradesh in the North Zone Ranji league match which concluded at local Vishwakarma school grounds today.

The vistors, who were set a tough target of scoring 432 runs in 117 overs in the second innings, failed to withstand the onslaught of the Haryana bowlers on the final day.

Haryana earned eight points from this match. They next face Punjab at Gurgaon from November 19.

Brief scores: Haryana 222 and 361 for 9 decl; HP 152 and 183.

Bangalore:A career-best knock of 80 by B Akhil propelled Karnataka to a commanding 365 for seven, a lead of 176, against Goa in the first innings on the second day of the four-day Ranji league match at the M Chinnaswamy stadium today.

At stumps, Anand Katti (53) and David Johnson (25) were at the crease. The two added 55 runs for the unfinished eighth wicket.

Resuming at 44 for two in reply to Goa's 189, Karnataka were well-served by Rowland Barrington (48), V S Thilak Naidu (63) and Anand Yalvigi (38). Spinners Nitin Kalekar (3-164) and Shadab Jakati (2-58) shared the five wickets that fell, with injured skipper Prashanth Kakode (2-11) not bowling today. A few dropped catches also helped Karnataka establish a stranglehold over Goa.

Barrington, who had made a century on debut against Kerala, missed his half century as he was adjudged leg before for 48, off the bowling of Nitin Kalekar for 48.

Brief scores: Goa 189; Karnataka 365 for 7 (B Akhil 80; V S Thilak Naidu 63; Anand Katti batting 53; Rowland Barrington 48, Nitin Kalekar 3 for 164.

UNI