Siddesh Lad (73 not out, 93b, 8x4, 2x6) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (55 not out, 114b, 6x4) slammed fifties, adding 128 for the second wicket in 198 balls help Mumbai coast to the 135-run target easily and record a nine-wicket thumping win over Services in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match at the Air Force ground in Palam on Saturday.
This is Mumbai's third outright win this season, and they have now inched to the third spot in the group, with 22 points from five games, after collecting six in New Delhi.
However, when the Ranji Trophy resumes after a break, the defending champions face a virtually must-win match against Jammu & Kashmir at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy in BKC from January 23. Currently, J&K, with 23 points from five matches, are placed above Mumbai, at the second spot.
With Baroda, who are topping the group with 27 points after five matches, assured of a quarterfinals spot, Mumbai and J&K will be locked in an interesting tussle for the second team to qualify for the knockouts from Group A.
The key match against J&K will be Mumbai's penultimate tie in the league stage, before they take on minnows Meghalaya in their last league match.
Lad, who had stroked an unbeaten 169 in the last match, scored his second half-century this season, thus continuing a successful comeback into the Mumbai team. Raghuvanshi followed up his 92 in the last outing with another half-century.
Shardul Thakur thanks BCCI, MCAMeanwhile, just after he finished with a match haul of seven for 85 to star in his team's win over Services, Mumbai and India pacer Shardul Thakur Thanked the BCCI and the Mumbai Cricket Association for having supported him since his return from an ankle injury which required a surgery.
"First leg of the Ranji trophy has concluded. Feeling great to have played 5 back to back games post surgery and also an Irani cup game. Thanks to @BCCI and @MumbaiCricAssoc for always looking out for me," Thakur posted on 'X.'
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