J&K opener Shubham Khajuria scored his maiden first-class century before Mumbai bundled out the visitors for 254 in the first innings on day two of their four-day Group A Ranji Trophy cricket match here today. The visiting team could take just 18-run first innings lead. At the end of play, Mumbai were leading by 48 runs in the second innings. Mumbai openers Kevin Almeida and Shetty overcame the 18-run lead but with the score on 34, Shetty (17) nicked Ram Dayal to the wicketkeeper. Aditya Tare then came in to bat at No. 3 in place of old warhorse Jaffer but after adding just one run he edged Nazir to Haroon and returned to the pavilion. Promoted up the order, Iyer too added a run before handing a catch to Chauhan at first slip off Dayal before walking back to the dressing room. At 42/3, the Mumbai captain joined the opener in the middle. But, 15 runs later Almeida nicked Nazir to Haroon behind the wickets leaving the team four wickets down. With the team reeling on 57/4, night-watchman Kulkarni joined Yadav and helped see the team through to end of day’s play. Earlier, J&K opener Shubham Khajuria (107) anchoring the innings helped the visitors continue their domination in the morning and added 109 runs for first wicket. The hosts accounted for the centurion in the second session and found their way back into the game. Mumbai claimed eight wickets for 57 runs in the second session to wrap-up J&K’s first innings for 254 and leave the match hanging in balance. However, the hosts’ batting woes continued into the second innings and were 66/4 at stumps with Suryakumar Yadav (17*) and Dhawal Kulkarni (1*) in the middle. Earlier, resuming on 88/1, opener Khajuria and Bandeep Singh who were batting on 47 and 34 respectively added 17 runs to the overnight to total until the latter departed. The top-order batsman was caught by substitute Praful Waghela off Kulkarni for 36. Ian Dev Singh Chauhan then joined Khajuria in the middle to keep the scales tipped in J&K’s favour. They took their chances as they milked the Mumbai attack to take the team to lunch. While Khajuria held up one end, Shardul Thakur missed a tough chance in covers off Vishal Dabholkar when the visitors were on 144 for the loss of two wickets. As the pair kept the scoreboard ticking and stitched a partnership to close in on Mumbai’s first innings total, the hosts missed an opportunity to run out the opener while he was on 88. Undeterred, Khajuria maintained the steady flow of runs and displayed some superb shots as he inched towards the three-figure mark. With a boundary through square-leg he reached 96 and on the last ball off Dabholkar’s over he brought up his century with a six over long on. A bit later, while on 104, he was dropped by Wasim Jaffer in the slips off Nayar. Having taken their chances the J&K batsmen had added 109 runs for the loss of one wicket to take lunch at 197/2. But the visitors lost their way in the second session after Mumbai ended the third wicket stand by sending back the J&K opener. In the fourth over after lunch, a direct hit by Bravish Shetty from point found Khajuria short of his crease while on 107. The fall of wicket brought the hosts relief as the flow of runs dried up and wickets fell in a cluster towards the end of the session. Parvez Rasool who replaced the opener, top-edged a short ball from Kulkarni to fine-leg and departed for five runs and was followed back by Hardeep Singh. The middle-order bat was adjudged leg-before off Thakur while on six, leaving the visitors on 225/5.