With a thumping innings and one run win over Vidarbha, Gujarat became the first team to post a victory in the opening round of the Ranji Trophy 2013-14 season. In another thrilling encounter at Rohtak, Mumbai are 39 runs away from victory, courtesy Sachin Tendulkar’s 55 not-out and a middle-order fight back. Here is the round-up for Day 3 of the first round:

Group A

Haryana vs Mumbai: In what has been a thrilling contest, Mumbai need 39 runs with four wickets in hand to post a win against Haryana. With veteran batsman Sachin Tendulkar at the crease, batting on 55 with Dhawal Kulkarni at the other end, the visitors will be looking to cross the line on the last day of the first Ranji Trophy encounter of the season.

After bowling the hosts out for 241 earlier on the third day, Mumbai lost Wasim Jaffer early in the innings, but the middle order stood up to the challenge at Lahli. Opener Kaustubh Pawar and Ajinkya Rahane contributed 47 and 40 respectively, while Tendulkar anchored the innings by remaining unbeaten when stumps were called. When play ended on the penultimate day, Mumbai were 201 for six.

Odisha vs Punjab: After Punjab declared their first innings on 560 for six on the third day, Odisha were trailing by 245 runs with eight wickets in hand when stumps were called.

Earlier, Punjab’s Mandeep Singh was the first to be sent back for 175 and was followed back by Udit Kaul soon after. Taruwar Kohli was the next to return to the dressing room for 144. Building on the platform set by the middle-order batsmen, Mayank Sidhana (48), Amitoze Singh (56*) and Harbhajan Singh (49*) helped Punjab to a mammoth first-innings total. Punjab pacer Sandeep Sharma then dealt early blows to leave the visitors reeling on 13 for two. But Niranjan Behera and Govind Podder stabilised the innings and were batting on 42 and 52 respectively at stumps.

Vidarbha vs Gujarat: With five ducks in their second innings, hosts Vidarbha succumbed to Gujarat for 218 in the second innings, losing the match by an innings and a run. Rakesh Dhruve (five wickets) and Jasprit Bumrah (three wickets) ran through the hosts’ line-up to bowl their team to victory.

Opener Faiz Fazal was the top-scorer for the home team with 77 runs, while captain Shalabh Shrivastava made 56.

Jharkhand vs Delhi: No Play

Group B

Saurashtra vs Rajasthan: After declaring their innings on 475 for seven, Saurashtra bowled Rajasthan out for 136 in the first innings and enforced a follow-on. DA Jadeja, Kamlesh Makvana and Vishal Joshi took three wickets apiece to push the visitors on the back foot. Following on, the visitors were 147 for four at stumps with Jadeja accounting for three wickets, while Makvana picked one. Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Rajesh Bishnoi were batting on 14 and two respectively when play ended.

Tamil Nadu vs SSCB: Services were 245 for five and trailing by 211 runs in the first innings at the end of third day’s play against Tamil Nadu. Yashpal Singh was unbeaten on 87 with Sarabjit Singh on 13 at close of play.

MPCA vs Railways: Trailing by 175 runs with a wicket in hand, Railways are on the brink of conceding a first-innings lead to MPCA. Despite centuries from Shivakant Shukla and Mahesh Rawat, the lack of resistance from the rest of the line-up has left Railways on 335 for nine.

Bengal vs Baroda: No Play

Group C

Hyderabad vs Andhra Pradesh: Andhra Pradesh were bowled out for 185 on the third day of the game after adding just 100 runs to their overnight total. Ashish Reddy and Pragyan Ojha claimed three wickets each, while M Ravi Kiran took two and Chama Milind picked one to give Hyderabad a first-innings lead.

Hyderabad were 96 for two when stumps were called.

Tripura vs Maharashtra: Resuming on the overnight score of 133 for one, Maharashtra were propelled to 460 for three by double centurion Vijay Zol. While opner HH Khadiwale departed for 112 earlier in the day, the youngster continued to hold up one end and took his team to a first-innings lead.

After the home team declared its innings, the visitors were on 28 for one when play ended.

Assam vs Kerala: With a marginal 39-run first-innings lead, courtesy a double ton by Sanju Samson, Kerala have tipped the game in their favour. Resuming on the overnight score of 46, the youngster anchored the innings and went on to post 211 before being sent back by J Syed Mohammad. The bowler finished with a four-for as did Arlen Konwar. The visitors were eventually bowled out for 362 later in the day.

When play ended on the third day, the home team was on 13 without loss.

Himachal vs Goa: Resuming on the overnight score of 543 for five, Himachal Pradesh declared their first innings for 558 earlier on the third day. The hosts then bowled Goa out for 243 and enforced a follow-on, thereby giving themselves an opportunity to go for an outright win. Rishi Dhawan took a fiver, while the rest of the bowlers too claimed a scalp each to help bowl the opponents out. When play ended, the visitors were 38 without loss in their second innings.