A day after being picked for the India Under-19 team for the U-19 Asia Cup in UAE, Mumbai's 17-year-old talented opener Ayush Mhatre, perhaps celebrating the call-up, slammed his second first-class century, scoring a fine unbeaten 107 (127b, 12x4, 3x6) to put Mumbai in a strong position against Services on Day Two of their Elite Group A Ranji Trophy match at the Air Force ground in Palam.
Mhatre had earlier in the season scored 176 against Maharashtra at the Sharad Pawar Academy in BKC. Replying to Services' first innings total of 240, Mumbai had collapsed to 29 for two when pacer Nitin Yadav took the wickets of opener Angkrish Raghuvanshi (1) and Siddhesh Lad (10).
The score then became 69 for three as skipper Ajinkya Rahane (19) failed again, bowled by pacer Varun Choudhary. However, Mhatre kept going at one end, rescuing the visitors with his attacking century, while adding 109 in just 104 balls with the in-form Shreyas Iyer (47, 46b, 6x4, 1x6).
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Earlier, Mumbai's pace bowling allrounder Shardul Thakur (four for 46 in 19 overs), who has been ignored by the national selectors for the Border Gavaskar Trophy, took all the remaining four Services wickets as the hosts, resuming from their overnight score of 192 for six, folded up for 240, with 'keeper-bat Mohit Ahlawat (76, 105b, 1x4) being their top run-scorer.
Mhatre's career graph has gone up and up season. The teenaged batsman has been called up for trials by the Chennai Super Kings. On Monday, the talented youngster, who hails from a humble background in Virar, was selected for India's Asia Cup under-19 team, and on Thursday, he signed a contract with SG which will now take care of his cricketing equipment needs.
