Dube puts Mumbai in control

Railways found themselves in trouble after Mumbai stifled their resistance on the back of Shivam Dube’s timely century on the second day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A game at Karnail Singh Stadium on Friday.

Beginning the day on 278/5, Mumbai’s overnight batsmen Siddhesh Lad and Dube stretched their partnership to 79 when Lad hurried to charge left-arm spinner Avinash Yadav, but the ball turned and rattled his bails. He was on 99.

Dube (114 off 139), who resumed at 35, played unfettered against the new ball to frustrate Railways. He reached his maiden first-class century off 121 balls.

It took a fine a catch from Railways captain Mahesh Rawat to dismiss Dube after a well-made ton.

Mumbai folded shortly after his dismissal, but with a handsome first innings total of 411.

Railways’ left-arm spinners -- Harsh Tyagi (4-83) and Yadav (3-99) -- shared seven wickets between them.

The domestic giants then left Railways in choppy waters when they reduced them to 115/6 at stumps. Experienced Arindam Ghosh (39 batting) and Harsh Tyagi (0 batting) were holding the reins with Railways facing follow-on.

The hosts were quick to find themselves in trouble when Mumbai’s fast bowling pair of Tushar Deshpande and Dhawal Kulkarni knocked off the stumps of openers Nitin Bhille and Pratham Singh for mere 17 runs.

By the time the teams separated for tea, Railways were reeling at 64/4
with the pair of Rawat and Ghosh involved in a rescue act. The two put up 49 runs for the fifth wicket before Rawat fell.

Meanwhile, in the Plate group, Uttarakhand became the first team to notch a win, defeating Bihar by ten wickets in Dehradun.