Shah's 170 powers Mumbai to 501

MUMBAI: Make hay while the sun shines. Mumbai's 29-year-old middle-order batsman Hiken Shah did just the same, scoring a career-best 170 (394 mins ; 275 balls ; 21x4, 3x6) to help Mumbai take command over Odisha on Day Two of their Ranji Trophy Group A league match at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
The left-handed Shah missed out on what would have been a deserving double hundred but did enough for the champs to post a mammoth 501 for 9 declared after Mumbai had resumed the day at 242 for 2.In reply, a nervy start by Odisha saw them losing three quick wickets for 36 before opener Natraj Behera (45) and Abhilash Mallick (28) steered the total to 79 for 3 (off 21 overs ) at the draw of stumps.
The visitors would have been in deeper trouble had Javed Khan not misjudged a catch from Mallick while running backwards at deep mid-on when the batsman was on 3. To add to Odisha's woes, captain Biplab Samantray had to return to the pavilion after being hit on the back of his neck by a rising delivery from Shardul Thakur.
Medium pacer Thakur took two wickets (both caught behind ) after Javed Khan had provided the initial breakthrough making opener Girija Rout edge one to first slip.
Earlier, Shah, who had inched his way to a sedate 67 on Day One, changed gears after Wasim Jaffer was caught at point while trying to force the pace. The Mumbai captain scored 143 and the pair added 222 runs for the third wicket.
Following Jaffer's dismissal, Shah took the game by the scruff of its neck, slamming 13 more fours and three sixes. He looked set for a double hundred but soon after lunch he was trapped leg before by left-arm spinner Dhiraj Singh.
Shah had by then shared a 99-run stand with Suryakumar Yadav (28).