Bombay beat Gujarat by 9 wickets

Recalled leg spinner Sairaj Bahutule, with a haul of five wickets for 53 runs, bowled Bombay to a nine-wicket victory over Gujarat on the final day of the West Zone Ranji Trophy league match at the Wankhede stadium in Bombay, on Tuesday.

Gujarat, who were well-placed to play out a draw at close on Monday, with the score 111 for no loss, tumbled like a deck of cards on Tuesday and were all out for 250.

Bombay needed only five runs to finish the game just before tea, but lost a wicket in the process.

Nilesh Mody compiled 90 in 370 minutes, with 12 fours, and his partner Vivek Gandhi made 54 in 180 minutes, with four fours. Later only the consistent Mukund Parmar put up some resistance with a well-made 43 off 88balls, which had seven fours in it.

The visitors were forced to follow-on after they collapsed for 274 in reply to hosts' mammoth score of 521 for for five.

In the second knock Gujarat showed some steel as openers Nilesh Mody and Vivek Gandhi stalled the Bombay bowlers for 45.4 overs in making 114 for the opening stand. But once Bahutule, dropped last season due to bad form, was introduced in the morning, Gujarat, like it has been doing since five decades, proved that it has yet to develop a stout heart.

Romesh Powar, with his off spinners, took three for 77 in a supportive role and finished with match figures of eight for 154.

It was he, who broke the opening stand, having Gandhi caught near the wicket. After the cheap dismissal of Niraj Patel for six, Mody and Parmar took the score to 199 for two. But from there Gujarat slipped to 250, losing eight wickets for 51runs off 38.1 overs.

Bombay collected eight points from the victory, but team manager Ashok Mankad had to eat his words, after he criticised the pitch, saying it was lifeless, when the Gujarat openers were batting without hindrance on Monday.

Brief scores: Bombay (521 for five declared and 5 for one) beat Gujarat (274 and 250) by nine wickets.

Mail Cricket Editor