In a desperate bid to notch up their first outright win this season, Mumbai batsmen batted with lot of purpose as the 39-time champions took their overall lead to 252 against Madhya Pradesh in a group league encounter at Indore on Monday.
Young Satyam Choudhary remained unbeaten on 73 as Madhya Pradesh reached 191 for five in reply to Mumbai's first innings score of 304 in a Ranji Trophy group league encounter at the Holkar Stadium here today.
A brilliant ton by former India Under-19 captain Ashok Menaria and a fighting half-century by opener Vineet Saxena saved Rajasthan the blushes as the hosts reached 268 for nine on the opening day of their Group A Ranji Trophy tie against Saurashtra at Jaipur on Saturday.
Opener Kaustubh Pawar defended doggedly to crawl to 89 as Mumbai reached 235 for five at stumps on the first day against Madhya Pradesh in a group league match of the Ranji Trophy.
Ageing India pacer Zaheer Khan, who performed disappointingly in the just-concluded four-Test series against England, has been included in the Mumbai team for the crucial Ranji Trophy Group A league match, to be played against Madhya Pradesh at Indore from December 22-25.
Skipper Devendra Bundela (100) scored an unbeaten century and shared a match-winning 185-run stand with Jalaj Saxena (72 not out) as Madhya Pradesh spanked Punjab by eight wickets in their Ranji Trophy Group A match, at Gwalior on Tuesday.
Former India opener and current Bengal coach WV Raman feels that speedster Shami Ahmed should regularly play for India from middle of next year.
Yuvraj Singh on Monday responded his exclusion from the national side with a timely century as Punjab ended the Day three at 354 for eight following-on, with an overall lead of 179 in their Group A Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh.
Madhya Pradesh looked on course for an outright victory after pacers shared all wickets among themselves and enforce follow-on on table toppers Punjab in their Group A Ranji Trophy match at Gwalior on Sunday.
Skipper Devendra Bundela scored an unbeaten 92 while opener Jalaj Saxena struck a fluent half-century to help Madhya Pradesh post 281 for five against Punjab on the first day of their Ranji Trophy Group A match at Gwalior on Saturday.