Ranji Trophy semifinals: Vidarbha, Kerala in commanding position at end of day 1

Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], February 17 (ANI): Fine half-centuries by Dhruv Shorey and Danish Malewar kept Vidarbha in a commanding position against 42-time champions Mumbai in the semifinals of the ongoing Ranji Trophy at Nagpur on Monday.
At the end of the day's play, Vidarbha was at 308/5, with Yash Rathod (47*) and skipper Akshay Wadkar (13*) unbeaten.
Vidarbha won the toss and elected to bat first.
Atharva Taide's dismissal for four runs by Royston Dias at the score of 39 put Mumbai ahead. A recovery stand between Shorey and Parth Rekhade (23 in 64 balls, with two fours) brought Mumbai near the 100-run mark before Shivam Dube struck for Mumbai. Vidarbha was 93/2.
Another half-century followed, this time between Shorey and Danish Malewar, but Shams Mulani struck to remove Shorey for 74 in 109 balls, with nine fours. Vidarbha was 144/3.
Malewar helped Vidarbha cross the 200-run mark in 58.2 overs, having a 78-run stand with Karun Nair (45 in 70 balls, with six fours), with Dube once against emerging as a partnership breaker.
Maleswar fell for 79 in 157 balls, with seven fours and a six, with half the side gone at 261 runs in 74.2 overs. Rathod and Wadkar took Vidarbha through the remainder of the day safely.
Dube (2/35) and Mulani (2/44) were the top bowlers for Mumbai.
On the other hand, half-century by skipper Sachin Baby helped Kerala end their day against Gujarat at 206/4 in Ahmedabad.
After Kerala elected to bat first after winning the toss, openers Akshay Chandran (30 in 71 balls, with five fours) and Rohan Kunnummal (30 in 68 balls, with five fours) putting on a 60-run stand before their partnership was broken by a run out from Aarya Desai and wicketkeeper Urvil Patel.
Varun Nayanar (10) fell to Priyajitsing Jadeja, reducing Kerala to 86/3.
Baby consolidated, first with a 71-run stand with Jalaj Saxena (30 in 83 balls, with four boundaries) and then a 49-run stand with Mohammed Azharuddeen (30* in 66 balls, with three fours) to end the day. Baby remained unbeaten on 69 in 193 balls, with eight fours. (ANI)