Ranji Trophy 2012-13, Semi-finals, Day 6

Mumbai (toss) 454 for 8 decl. (Agarkar 145, Tare 120) drew with Services 240 (Swain 74, Yashpal 58, Kulkarni 5-33) in Delhi

(Mumbai progress to the final on the basis of the first-innings lead, and will host Saurashtra in the final that begins on January 26)

12.05pm So that's all folks. This was a slippery banana peel for Mumbai, what with weather and poor ground conditions taking the match into the sixth day and the toss becoming a possibility. Not to forget they were 23 for 3 on the first day. Anyway, they have come back and finished it off with two sessions still to go. We don't know which ground in Mumbai the final will be played at, but we will bring you the ball-by-ball commentary and reports and features from there. Hoping Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma are released for the final, we take your leave. Cheers

11.59am Just waiting to make sure they don't surreally continue to pay. Stumps have been taken out, a lot of applause has happened, the match referee has given the teams a talk. I am sure they won't play any more

11.55am - All over Kulkarni takes a fifth wicket. Sinha caught at the wicket. Mumbai are through. Services bowled out for 240

11.44pm - We will have an extension Kulkarni gets Shadab Nazar in the last over before the scheduled lunch. Caught at short midwicket. Services 235 for 9

11.37am - Lunch, extensions and all that Eight minutes to go to lunch, and Mumbai need two wickets. My understanding is that if Mumbai take one more wicket in these eight minutes, we will get a half-hour extension

11.34am - And Yadav is gone The injured Suraj Yadav is gone too. Caught at the wicket off the bowling of Dhawal Kulkarni. Now only formalities remain. Mumbai two wickets from their 44th Ranji final. They have lost only four of the previous 43. Services 230 for 8 now

11.27am Mumbai have another. Sarabjit takes one risk too many and edges Thakur through to the wicketkeeper. Services are 227 for 7 now, and we are into the fourth over with the second new ball. And the injured Suraj Yadav has come out to bat. Last show of courage from Services

11.25am Services have begin to attack the new ball a bit with Sarabjit Singh cutting Thakur for four, and then getting another four through the slip cordon. Services 227 for 6 now, which is exactly half that of Mumbai's total

11.20am - Pujara and Rohit ought to be released Without second thoughts, Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara should be released for the Ranji final. They are not getting a game in the ODI series anyway. Manoj Tiwary is fit now. They can fly him in as back-up for the ODI. I can understand Ravindra Jadeja is an important part of the XI now and he can't be released, but Pujara and Rohit should not be made to carry drinks when they can instead be helping their side win the Ranji Trophy

Yomesh and others, DY Patil is busy too

11.10am - New ball taken Mumbai have taken the new ball after 83 overs. Services 216 for 6

10.55am - The next question Should Mumbai successfully wrap this up, the next question is, where will the final be played? Wankhede is scheduled at the moment to host Women's World Cup matches on Jan 31, Feb 1 and Feb 2, which makes it all but impossible to play the final there. Mumbai could, and should, go to Brabourne, whose first World Cup match is on Feb 3

10.40am Mumbai almost there now. Paliwal gone too. Plays Kulkarni on to this stumps. Services 203 for 6

10.30am First drinks break of the day. Services 196 for 5 - 22 balls since the fall of Swain's wicket and only a single taken

10.15am And the bowling change has worked. Dabholkar gets Swain in the second over of his spell. Caught at slip playing off the back foot. A long slow dejected walk back for Swain. Now only Paliwal stands between Mumbai and a home final. Services 195 for 5

10.10am Shardul Thakur has been replaced after his morning spell of five overs, and the left-arm spinner Vishal Dabholkar has come on to bowl. Services 191 for 4

9.55am - Breakthrough for Mumbai Mumbai' Shardul Thakur has ended the 114-run stand between Swain and Yashpal, having the latter caught at the wicket. Mumbai inch ahead now

9.30am - Yashpal off the bocks Yashpal doing all the scoring on the final morning as Swain takes him time to get his eye in. Yashpal has reached his fifty, and brought up the hundred for this partnership. Services 176 for 3, need another 273

9.15am Ajit Agarkar has begun the proceedings, and Services' chase is underway. If all goes right, we can get 98 overs in, but I don't think we need as many. One of the sides will attain the lead before that long

9.10am - Good news. It's cold but sunny in Delhi. We might get a start on time, which reduces chances of the toss coming into the picture. Welcome to to day 6. If nothing goes wrong in the next five minutes, we should be ready to go at 9.15am