Jaiswal, Jaffer hundreds derail UP

BENGALURU: A dominant Mumbai rode on impressive hundreds from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Armaan Jaffer to put Uttar Pradesh on the back foot by taking its overall lead past the 600-mark on the fourth day of the Ranji Trophy semi-finals here on Friday.

It was a run feast on day four as the two batted with authority. And, it is almost certain now that the 41-time Ranji Trophy winner would sail into the summit clash. The Amol Mazumdar-coached side, in its second essay, was poised at 449 for four when stumps were drawn and had an overall lead of a staggering 662 runs.

Opener Jaiswal (181), who had hit his maiden hundred in the quarter-finals, slammed back-to-back centuries in the last-four match as he and No.3 Jaffer (127) bulldozed a listless UP attack.

Mumbai, which already had a lead of 346 runs, began on its overnight score of 133 for one.

And it was sheer dominance by the young batting duo of Jaiswal and Jaffer, who would have made his uncle Wasim proud with his stellar performance. The two young Mumbai batters, who started the day when they were in their 30s, pummeled the UP attack into submission with a variety of strokes on display in their 286-run stand for the second wicket.

It was raining boundaries at the Just Cricket Academy as Jaiswal hammered 23 fours and one maximum in his 372-ball innings while Jaffer smashed 15 fours and two sixes in his 259-ball knock.

UP had to wait long for getting the first wicket of the day and pacer Shivam Mavi (1/36) dismissed Jaffer in the 107th over of the innings to break the mammoth stand. But, that did not deter Jaiswal, who kept playing shots at will and spared no bowler. Jaiswal missed a richly deserved double hundred as he was caught by Aryan Juyal off Prince Yadav (2/69).

UP did get two wickets in quick succession, that of Suved Parkar (22) and Jaiswal, but by then the damage was done. The wide gulf between the two sides was on display. UP used as many as nine bowlers, but managed to get only three wickets on the day.

Left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar (1/105) had the most expensive figures as he was taken to task by Jaffer and Jaiswal. At stumps, Sarfaraz Khan (23 not out off 58 balls, 1 four) and Shams Mulani (10 not out off 35 balls, 1 four) were at the crease.