Gujarat grabbed the initiative against Maharashtra on day two of their four-day Ranji Trophy Elite Group 'A' match in Vaslad on Friday.
The hosts struck telling blows in the first hour of the morning to skittle out Maharashtra for the addition of only 40 runs to their overnight 204 for four and then rattled up 159 for four by close of play.
Gujarat speedster Sidharth Trivedi picked five wickets for 63 runs and was well supported by medium pacer H Majumdar, who claimed three for 52 in the Maharashtra first essay.
Overnight not out batsman Sairaj Bahutule fell at last evening's score (48), trapped leg before by Trivedi, to trigger a collapse in which the last six wickets fell in a heap for 40 runs as Maharashtra were all out for 244 in 102.1 overs.
The home team started their reply in style with openers Akash Christian (47 in 127 mins, 4 fours and a six) and Nilesh Modi (31 in 166 mins, 2 fours) forging a stand of 80 in 194 minutes.
The breakthrough for Maharashtra came when Christian was caught at mid on by Abhijit Kale, off spinner Rohit Jadhav being the partnership breaker before ending the day with three wickets for 36 in his kitty.
Gujarat lost three more wickets later in quick succession, those of Parthiv Patel, Mukund Parmar and Modi, for the addition of only 13 runs to be 113 for four.
Niraj Patel, unbeaten on 31 after 169 minutes stay and Bhavik Thakker (27 not out in 90 minutes) stemmed the rot with an unbroken fifth wicket stand already worth 46 runs.
Scorecard
Maharashtra (1st innings):
M Nigde b Trivedi 11
D Jadhav c PA Patel b Trivedi 23
H Kanitkar c Modi b Majmudar 24
A Kale c Thaker b Yadav 25
Y Pawar c Modi b Trivedi 16
S Bahutule lbw b Trivedi 48
S Satbhai c Watekar b Majmudar 60
M Patel c NK Patel b LA Patel 12
A Sanclecha c Watekar b Trivedi 7
S Burkul b Majmudar 0
R Jadhav not out 0.
Extras: (nb 18) 18
Total: (all out, 102.1 overs, 418 mins) 244
Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-48, 3-93, 4-102, 5-122, 6-204, 7-224, 8-241, 9-243, 10-244.
Bowling: Trivedi 27-4-63-5 (6nb), LA Patel 22-8-45-1, Majmudar 18.1-4-52-3 (6nb), Watekar 16-1-38-0 2nb), Yadav 15-2-38-1 (4nb), NK Patel 3-1-6-0, Christian 1-0-2-0.
Gujarat (1st innings):
N Modi c Patel b RP Jadhav 31
A Christian c Kale b RP Jadhav 47
N Patel not out 31
P Patel c sub (D Mohan) b Burkul 7
M Parmar c & b RP Jadhav 4
B Thaker not out 27
Extras: (nb 12) 12
Total: (4 wickets, 75 overs) 159
Fall of wickets: 1-80, 2-100, 3-108, 4-113.
Bowling: Patel 12-2-31-0 (3nb), Sanclecha 8-3-22-0 (2nb), Burkul 17-10-20-1, Bahutule 18-1-50-0 (7nb), RP Jadhav 20-5-36-3.
