The season’s highest run-getter, Priyank Panchal anchored Gujarat to a respectable total with an unbeaten 144-run knock. The opener’s prolific run making kept the Jharkhand attack at bay and took his team to a commanding position. In the keenly fought contest between bat and ball in Rajkot, Mumbai tipped the balance in their favour by picking three wickets in the last session. Ranji Trophy 2016-16 semi-finals, Day 1 – recap: SF 1 - Mumbai vs Tamil Nadu in Rajkot: Tamil Nadu 1st inn 261/6 in 90 overs (B Indrajith 64, K Gandhi 50, V Shankar 41*, A Nayar 2/56, S Thakur 2/64) After Tamil Nadu elected to bat, Mumbai finished the first day with a slight upper-hand. Both sides entered the game with a debutant each, while Mumbai have brought in Prithvi Shaw while Ganga Sridhar Raju made his debut for TN. Opening the innings with Abhinav Mukund, the newcomer had helped put together 45 runs until he edged Abhishek Nayar to the wicketkeeper and returned for 19. After 23 runs, Balwinder Sandhu forced an outside edge from the TN captain through to Aditya Tare behind the stumps to give Mumbai a major breakthrough. Kaushik Gandhi then took the team to Lunch at 96 for two with Baba Indrajith. With the No 4 batsman, finding the gaps and scoring at a brisk pace, the fourth wicket partnership blossomed. The stand was tipping the balance in TN’s favour when Indrajith departed at the stroke of Tea. A brilliant diving catch by Tare after the Shardul Thakur delivery took the edge going down the leg side ended the stand for 110. Gandhi resumed the third session with Dinesh Karthik with the team on 182 for three. The top-order bat was sent back just after completing his half-century by Nayar. And with Karthik being adjudged lbw off Thakur a couple of overs later, TN were 202 for five. As Mumbai looked to seize the momentum, Vijay Gohil accounted for Baba Aparajith half-way through the last session. While Vijay Shankar continued to rally on as Mumbai looked to build up the pressure. In an effort to build on the advantage they took the new ball with four overs left in the day in pursuit of a wicket to peg the opposition back. However, the lower middle-order bat saw the team through to stumps with Aswin Crist even as Nayar and Thakur toiled to test the batsmen. At the end of day’s play, with V Shankar on 41 and Aswin on 9. SF 2 - Gujarat vs Jharkhand in Nagpur: Gujarat 1st inn 283/3 in 88 overs (P Panchal 144*, P Patel 62, Vikash 2/48) Priyank Panchal carried his impeccable form into the semi-finals. After Parthiv Patel elected to bat, the opener held the innings together. After losing his opening partner Samit Gohil with 62 runs on the board, he was involved in a 65-run partnership with Bhargav Merai. The pair had taken the team to 127 when the No 3 batsman was Vikash Singh. The opener then found an able ally in his captain. After bringing up his century in the second session of the day, Panchal took the team to Tea at 192 for two with Parthiv. Late in the last session, the stand was ended for 139 by Kaushal Singh who trapped the Gujarat skipper lbw. Panchal then took the team to stumps at 283 for three with Manprit Juneja (12*).