Maharashtra fought their way back in their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal against Mumbai in brilliant fashion by bundling out the defending champions for a meagre 129 in second innings on a dramatic third day of the five-day match here today.
Maharashtra were all out for 280 in their first innings in reply to Mumbai's 402, thereby conceding a lead of 122 runs, but the visiting bowlers brought their side back into the game by dismissing the hosts for just 129 on a day which saw 14 wickets fall.
Mumbai were in even worse situation as they were reduced to 29 for 5 at one stage before some rear-guard lower order batting took the score past 100-mark.
Maharashtra medium pace trio of Samad Fallah (3/45), Anupam Sanklecha (4/57) and Shrikant Mundhe (3/26) captured all 10 Mumbai second innings wickets with a fine exhibition of seam bowling on a Wankhede Stadium track that offered bounce and pace.
This set Maharashtra a winning target of 252 and at stumps, the visiting team were 28 for the loss of Chirag Khurana's wicket. They need 224 more runs tomorrow to reach the target and dethrone the 40-time champions, but it will not be easy on the pitch that's still lively for pace bowlers.
Maharashtra lost three wickets for 16 runs after Mumbai opted for the second new ball to be all out 34 minutes before lunch, after resuming the day at overnight 219 for 7.
Maharashtra then sliced through Mumbai top-order to leave them at a precarious 29 for 5 in just 10 overs.
Fallah and Sanklecha had the top five batsmen Kaustubh Pawar (5), Wasim Jaffer (0), Aditya Tare (16), Vinit Indulkar (4), who made 82 in the first innings, and Abhishek Nayar (0) caught by slip fielders or by keeper and captain Rohit Motwani. Indulkar and Nayar were dismissed by Sanklecha in successive balls.
