Maharashtra make a pile

Maharashtra kept piling up the runs on the second day of their West Zone Ranji Trophy league match against Saurashtra at Rajkot on Sunday before they declared at 539 for six after the innings lasted 168 overs. At stumps, Saurashtra starting their long haul, were 41 for no loss off 10 overs.

Overnight not out batsmen Surendra Bhave and Hrishikesh Kanitkar carried on from where they left off on Saturday. Their second wicket association was worth 313 runs off 99.5 overs before Kanitkar was bowled by Hitesh Parsana for 190. Kanitkar batted 394 minutes, faced 304 balls and hit 27 fours and three sixes. A little later, Bhave was finally out for 149 after having batted 519 minutes. The veteran faced 384 balls and hit 15 fours and a six. Abhijit Kale (55) and Sagar Shah (45 not out) then flogged the tired Saurashtra attack before the declaration.

Saurashtra openers Sudhir Tanna (23) and Prashant Joshi (12) batted confidently in the final overs till stumps were drawn. But it is a long, hard road that Saurashtra still has to traverse.