Prithvi Shaw's 5th ton gets Mumbai out of sticky situation

Shaw led the Mumbai batting with a 113-run knock with Siddesh Lad for company who struck a crucial 86.

There was obviously no doubt on Prithvi’s Shaw talent and on Friday, the 18-year-old gave an account of his adaptability by slamming his 5^th first class ton on a wicket that offered fair bit to bowlers in a Ranji Trophy Group C match against Andhra Pradesh at Ongole.

Shaw led the Mumbai batting with a 113-run knock with Siddesh Lad for company who struck a crucial 86. 

The 18-year-old next big thing, took 173 balls for his 113 runs – his second slowest ton but no one was complaining as the Ongole track was offering a fair bit to the seam bowlers, particularly in the morning session.

Mumbai ended day one at 248 for six with experienced Abhishek Nayar batting on 21, who would look to take his team past 300.

Elsewhere at Indore, Tamil Nadu let Madhya Pradesh off the hook allowing them to reach 224 for 7 after having them at 67 for 5 at one stage at close on the first day Ankit Sharma (75 batting) and Ankit Dane (63) came together with the team in trouble after being sent into bat by Tamil Nadu.

They defied K Vignesh (3 for 27) and M Mohammed (2 for 46) and steadied the innings.

Tamil Nadu, which needs to win its two remaining matches outright to stand a chance of advancing to the knockouts, started in right earnest as Rajat Patidar was caught by skipper Abhinav Mukund off Mohammed for 11.

Mohammed struck again to remove Aditya Shrivastava (13) to leave Madhya Pradesh at 40 for 2.

Fast-medium bowler Vignesh, one of the finds of the previous season for Tamil Nadu, scalped three batsmen in the space of 27 runs in a superb spell. First, he had the talented young Shubham Sharma caught behind for 8, before sending back Hapreet Singh Bhatia (4).

In the 27th over, he struck a big blow by dismissing the experienced Devendra Bundela, the captain for 20, putting Tamil Nadu in control.

However, the two Ankits- Sharma and Dane- counterattacked and added runs quickly.

While Ankit Sharma had 12 hits to the boundary, Dane hit eight fours and a six before M S Washington Sundar sent back Dane to a catch by B Indrajith.Sundar struck again in his next over, getting Puneet Datey (0).

Ankit Sharma and Mihir Hirwani, son of former India leg-spinner Narendra Hirwani, saw the team through to stumps without any further loss.

Brief scores Group C

Madhya Pradesh 224 for 7 in 80 overs (Ankit Sharma 75 batting, Ankit Dane 63, K Vignesh 3 for 27) vs Tamil Nadu.

At Ongole: Mumbai 248 for 6 in 90 overs (Prithvi Shaw 114, Siddhesh Lad 86, Abhishek Nayar 21 batting, B Ayyappa 3 for 87) vs Andhra Pradesh.

At Vadodara: Baroda 281 for 3 in 90 overs (Kedar Devdhar 104, Deepak Hooda 51, Vishnu Solanki 46 batting) vs Odisha.