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Tushar Deshpande (right) and Tanush Kotian (left). (Image: IANS)
In doing so, Tanush Kotian and Tushar Deshpande also recorded the second highest partnership in the history of the tournament.
Mumbai’s Tanush Kotian and Tushar Deshpande became the first batsmen since 1948 to score centuries from the 10th and 11th positions as they secured their place in the Ranji Trophy semi-finals.
Both recorded their maiden first-class centuries as the pair put up a 232-run stand, just one run short of the 10th highest wicket partnership still held by Ajay Sharma and Maninder Singh, which came in Delhi vs. Mumbai match back in 1992.
Kotian, primarily an off-spinner, made his century off 115 deliveries. Deshpande also did the same and added to his century in 112 balls.
The partnership also becomes the sixth highest position for the 10th wicket in the history of the first class. It surpasses the previous best record of the pair of RW Nicholls and W Roche in the English County Championship match between Middlesex and Kent in 1899.
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The record holder for the highest partnership for the final wicket belongs to Allan Kippax and Hal Hooker, where the pair put together a mammoth 307-run stand in the Sheffield Shield match for New South Wales against Victoria in 1928.
Representing the Indians on tour against Surrey at The Oval 78 years ago, the duo of CT Sarwate (124*) and SN Banerjee (121) first achieved the incredible feat by making 249 runs for the 10th wicket as number 10 batsmen and eleven.
The target of 606 runs was also made possible thanks to the contributions of Hardik Tomore (114), Prithvi Shaw (87) and Shams Mulani (54). Wicket-batsman Tomore came out to open the innings and scored 114 off 233 deliveries, after which he was dismissed by Mahesh Pithiya. Shaw had come out to bat at number five, where he scored 87 off 93 balls to set the tone along with a fifty from Mulani.
Ninad Rathva managed to break the partnership as Baroda had the impossible task of making 606 runs with less than a day left.
In the quarter-final match that took place at the MCA Cricket Ground, the hosts secured their place in the semi-finals after taking the lead in the first innings and the final day is still going on.
U19 World Cup star Musheer Khan was named player of the match for scoring a fantastic double hundred in the team’s first innings.
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After their victory, they will face Tamil Nadu in the semi-finals. TN had already dominantly defeated defending champions Saurashtra by an innings and 33 runs.
(with PTI inputs)
