Jaffer8217;s elegance rules the roost

SURAT, DEC 28: Elegant opener Wasim Jaffer served another notice to the Indian selectors with a classy unbeaten century 139: 248b, 324m, ...

SURAT, DEC 28: Elegant opener Wasim Jaffer served another notice to the Indian selectors with a classy unbeaten century 139: 248b, 324m, 19215;4 and propelled Mumbai to a commanding position against Gujarat on the second day of the West Zone Ranji Trophy match at the Lalbhai Contractor Stadium here on Tuesday.

After restricting Gujarat, overnight on 260 for 6, to 305, Mumbai got off to an excellent start with the 21-year-olds Jaffer and Amit Pagnis 52: 100b, 164m, 8215;4 raising 123 runs. And by the end of the day they had reached 269 for 3, needing just 37 runs to gain a first innings lead.

It was Jaffer8217;s sixth first class century, the highest being 314 against Saurashtra in 1996-97. Last year against Gujarat he had scored 180 at Mumbai.Jaffer reached his half-century first, cutting Bhavik Patel to the third man fence, followed soon by Pagnis who reached the landmark with a boundary to the long on fence. However, Pagnis did not survive long after that, edging Hitesh Majumdar to Tejas Varsani in theslips.

Centurions of the one-dayer, Jatin Paranjpe 4 and Amol Muzumdar 16 got out cheaply. Vinod Kambli batting 35: 60b, 89m, 3215;4 then joined Jaffer and together they added 80 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket.

Scoreboard
Gujarat 1st innings; overnight 260-6: Amrish Kotecha run out 41, Nilesh Modi lbw Kuruvilla 16, Keyur Padia c Dighe b Mhambrey 75, Kirat Damani c Muzumdar b Pawar 6, Tejas Varsani c Jaffer b Kulkarni 53, Mihir Sheth c Dighe b Mhambrey 8, Pathik Patel c Kulkarni b Saxena 39, Bhavin Mehta c Kulkarni b Mhambrey 19, Lalit Patel not out 3, Hitesh Majumdar b Mhambrey 0, Bhavik Patel c Saxena b Kuruvilla 24.Extras: lb6, w2, nb13 21. Total: all out in 104 overs 305
Fall of wickets: 1-37 Modi, 2-69 Kotecha, 3-75 Damani, 4-162 Tejas, 5-179 Sheth, 6-249 Padia, 7-278 Pathik, 8-278 Mehta, 9-278 Majumdar.
Bowling: Mhambrey 22-7-71-4, Saxena 24-8-48-1, Kuruvilla 19-1-61-2, Kulkarni 22-5-65-1, Pawar 17-3-54-1.
Mumbai1st innings: Wasim Jaffer batting 139, Amit Pagnis c Varsani b Majumdar 52, Jatin Paranjpe c Bhavik Patel b Majumdar 4 Amol Muzumdar b Mehta 16, Vinod Kambli batting 35; Extras: b4, lb7, w5, nb7 23. Total: for three wickets in 74 overs 269
Fall of wickets: 1-123 Pagnis, 2-156 Paranjpe, 3-189 MuzumdarBowling: Bhavik Patel 13-1-50-0, Muzumdar 18-2-50-2, Lalit Patel 10-2-47-0, Mehta 22-3-72-1, Sheth 7-1-27-0, Varsani 4-0-12-0.

Rookie Aphale slams ton
PUNE: Debutant Kaushik Aphale8217;s unbeaten 122 175b, 234m, 18215;4 and his 161 runs unfinished stand for the sixth wicket with Satyen Lande batting 61: 132b, 172m, 8215;4 saw hosts Maharashtra take an iron grip over their West Zone Ranji Trophy match against Saurashtra at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Tuesday.

Both Aphale and Lande applied themselves to the task ably after Maharashtra, resuming at the overnight score of 40-1, were in a tight spot having lost the cream of their batting for 199 for5.

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The pair who remained undefeated saw Maharashtra end the day on 360-5, a 143-run lead.

Aphale appeared to have been inspired by senior mate Abhijeet Kale8217;s 84 144b, 208m, 11215;4, as the duo put on 54 runs for the fifth wicket. But Kale departed when in sight of a deserving century leaving Aphale and Lande to take charge.

Scoreboard
Saurashtra 1st innings: 217
Maharashtra 1st innings; overnight 46-1: Surendra Bhave c Parmar b Chawda 30, Dhiraj Jadhav c Parmar b Garsondia 20, Mandar Sane b Chawda 0, Abhijit Kale c Parmar b Bambania 84, Shantanu Sugvekar c sub Nilesh Odedra b Garsondia 26, Kaushik Aphale batting 122, Satyen Lande batting 61; Extras: b4, lb2, nb 9, w2 17. Total: for 5 wkts off 112 overs; 495 mins 360
Fall of wickets: 1-46, 2-46, 3-69, 4-145, 5-199
Bowling: Rana 20-3-68-0, Garsondia 20-5-61-2, Chawda 30-4-117-2, Bambania 28-4-70-1, Tanna 13-2-33-0, Vasant Kumar 1-0-5-0.