Opener Wasim Jaffer slammed an unbeaten century to put defending champions Mumbai on course for a huge total on the opening day of the Elite Ranji Trophy match against Bengal at the Jadavpur University Campus, in Kolkata, on Saturday.
The former India opener was unbeaten on 139 in Mumbai's total of 254 for 1 at stumps.
Vineet Indulkar was keeping him company in an unfinished 171-run partnership.
After Mumbai won the toss and elected to bat, Vinayak Mane and Jaffer took some time to settle down but blossomed later and went after the Bengal bowlers. But just when the former looked set for a big total he was run-out by a direct throw from Rohan Gavaskar after scoring 33, 15 minutes before lunch.
Mane played a Murtaza Lodhgar delivery to mid-on and set off for a run, but the Bengal skipper's direct throw hit the stumps with Mane still short of his crease.
The wicket fell at 83 for 1 and offered Bengal hope of checking Mumbai's onslaught, but new-man Indulkar followed in the same vein to see the visitors through to stumps without further loss and in a healthy position.
Jaffer was 'bowled' by a no-ball by left-arm spinner Lodhgar when on 17, but went on to complete his second hundred of the tournament this year, 22 minutes after tea. The landmark was reached of 224 balls, in 292 minutes.
Indulkar got his half-century off 154 balls in 191 minutes.
Jaffer had 21 fours in his 139 while Indulkar had nine in his 64.
Scoreboard
Mumbai (1st innings):
V R Mane run out (Gavaskar) 33
W Jaffer not out 139
V A Indulkar not out 64
Extras: (b 1, lb 5, w 1, nb 11) 18
Total: (1 wicket, 90 overs) 254
To bat: A Agarkar, V Samant, S Bahutule, A Muzumdar, N Kulkarni, R Powar, N Shetty, S Shinde.
Fall of wicket: 1-83
Bowling: R Bose 22-5-54-0 (3nb, 1w), S Sanyal 8-5-12-0, L R Shukla 3-0-9-0, M Lodhgar 23-4-74-0 (8nb), R Kundu 17-4-45-0, S Lahiri 14-4-43-0, R Gavaskar 3-1-11-0.
