Gujarat took a mammoth 359-run lead posting 227-8 in their second innings against Rest of India on the third day of their Irani Cup match at the Brabourne Stadium here on Sunday.
Chirag Gandhi (55 not out) and Hardik Patel (0) were at the crease when the stumps were drawn for the day.
Earlier, the Ranji champions bowled out for 226 the Rest of India who managed to add only 20 runs to their overnight score.
Gujarat batsmen started the innings on a poor note losing two wickets for only 42 runs before Priyank Panchal (73) and skipper Parthiv Patel (32) added a crucial 85 runs for the third wicket.
Just when things seemed good for the batsmen in the middle, Panchal was sent packing by medium pacer Sidharth Kaul in the 43rd over. His 135-ball knock included four boundaries.
After five overs, Patel was also sent back to the pavilion by spinner Shahbaz Nadeem. The Gujarat skipper spent 115 minutes at the crease and slammed three boundaries.
Incoming batsman Manprit Juneja (12), who was timing the ball well, failed to utilise the start and was caught by wicketkeeper Wridhiman Saha in the 51st over off medium pacer Mohammed Shiraj.
The Gujarat lower-middle order also contributed to the cause as Gandhi, Karan Patel (15) and Mohit Thadani (11) shared 81 runs between them.
For Rest of India, Nadeem scalped four wickets for 53 runs while Shiraj took two for 39 runs.
Earlier, resuming at 206-9, overnight batsmen Shiraj and Pankaj Singh added 20 runs for the 10th wicket before Shiraj was bowled by right arm medium pacer Chintan Gaja in the 75th over.
Brief scores:
Gujarat 358 first innings and 227 for 8 (Priyank Panchal 73, Chirag Gandhi 55 not out, Shahbaz Nadeem 4-53) vs Rest of India 226 (Cheteshwar Pujara 86, Akhil Herwadkar 48, Chintan Gaja 4/60, Hardik Patel 3/79) on day three.
--IANS
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