Ranji Trophy: Shrikant Mundhe claims 6 wickets as Maharashtra take slender lead against Odisha

Cuttack: Shrikant Mundhe's six-wicket haul enabled Maharashtra take a slender first innings lead over Odisha on the third and penultimate day of their Ranji Trophy Group A match here on Saturday.

In reply to Maharashtra's first innings total of 281, Odisha were bundled out for 267 in their first essay as Mundhe wreaked havoc with figures of six for 62.

Having taken a small 14-run lead, Maharashtra reached 156 for three in their second innings at the close play today with an overall lead of 170.

Resuming on 167 for four, Govinda Podder, starting on 78 and Pratik Das, on overnight score of 32, went to complete a ton and a half-century, respectively.

But apart from these two, none of Odisha's lower order batsmen could even reach the 20-run mark, thus conceding a slight first-innings lead.

Podder scored a 205-ball 100, which included 14 fours, while Das' 63 came off 148 deliveries with the help of four boundaries and two sixes.

The duo also put on a solid 145 runs together for the fifth wicket.

But after these two got out, the remaining four wickets fell for just 37 runs.

Maharashtra, in their second innings, got off to a good start with opener Swapnil Gugale scoring 71.

At stumps, Kedar Jadhav was unbeaten on 16 and Ankit Bawne was on 19.

Brief scores:

Maharashtra: 281 & 156 for three in 55 overs (Swapnil Gugale 71).

Odisha 1st innings: 267 all out (Govinda Podder 100, Pratik Das 62; Shrikant Mundhe 6/62).