Gujarat draw with Maharashtra

Gujarat drew their Ranji Trophy league match with Maharashtra at Ahmedabad on Sunday, picking five points by virtue of their firstinnings lead.

The home side reached 308 in their first essay, a score largely composed of Tejas Varsani's slow 118 off 371 balls. Varsani hit 18 fours and four sixes in his knock; he found some support initially from opener Nilesh Modi (85 off 276 balls) and then Kirat Damani (43 off 99).

Maharashtra, in reply, could make only 233; none of the batsmen even got a fifty, although skipper Hrishikesh Kanitkar made 45 and Anand Yalvigi made an unbeaten 48. The innings was scuttled by the bowling of Bhavin Mehta, who took 6-53 off his 30 overs.

Batting again, Gujarat failed to take the initiative and push for a result. Modi made another slow score, hitting 59 off 186 balls. His opening companion H Joshipura was no faster, making 38 off 144 balls. A brief flurry of wickets in the middle order followed after the dismissal of the openers, and it was left to Mehta (31) and Damani (32) to steady the innings. The home side reached 228/6 at the end of the fourth day.