Karnataka-Mumbai Ranji final hangs in balance

However, having conceded a 103-run lead, Karnataka seamers hit back to have the Mumbaikars in a tizzy at 51 for five.

Abhishek Nayyar (batting 32) and Daval Kulkarni (batting 35) pulled the visitors out of woods, posting 57 runs for unbroken sixth-wicket.
At draw of stumps, Mumbai were 108 for five, leading by 211 runs, with five wickets remaining.
As many as 14 wickets tumbled in the absorbing contest between bat and ball today, with Avishkar Salvi, who produced his season's best figures of 5 for 31, and Abhimanyu Mithun producing outstanding spells with the cherry.
Mithun's second innings burst (4 for 30) saw him share the honour of being the season's highest wicket-taker with R Vinay Kumar.
Both have bagged 44 wickets each.
Vinay Kumar and Daval Kulkrani were never short of effort and strived to get wickets with every delivery they whirled at the frazzled batters.
Resuming at their overnight 15 for one, Karnataka lost wickets in a heap as an accurate Salvi and Kulkarni (2 for 52) produced wicket to wicket spells.
Salvi used the moisture in the surface to repeatedly beat the flailing bats of the jittery, inexperienced Karnataka batsmen, who had dominated the season until today.
Only KB Pawan made a respectable 33 in 116 minutes.
The youngster played some crunchy cover drives before being superbly gobbled up by Romesh Powar off Salvi at mid-off.
Batting a second time round, Mumbai lost Wasim Jaffer (8), Ajinkya Rahane (4), Omkar Khanvilkar (0) in a trice to an inspired Mithun with barely 18 runs on board.
Karnataka were back in the reckoning when Suhil Kukreja was caught at short-leg by Ganesh Satish off Vinay Kumar, and Vinayak Sawant fell to short ball from Mithun.
But Nayyar and Kulkarni put the brakes on Karnataka's resurgence.
With fortunes swinging like a pendulum, the title could be wrested by the team which shows more resolves and applies itself to the task on the morrow.
At this moment though, Mumbai are clearly ahead of Karnataka.