Maharashtra struck early blows and threatened to come back into the match after former champions Mumbai worked their way to a commanding position on the opening day in their concluding Ranji Trophy Elite Division `A' match at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday.

After playing under pressure from the word go, Maharashtra earned some consolation late in the day when former Mumbai player Munaf Patel bowled opener Sushant Marathe for six and Suyash Burkul scalped the other opener, Sahil Kukreja, for four.

• Ranji Trophy 2005-06

At close, Mumbai were 20 for 2 in their first innings, after bowling out Maharashtra for a paltry 213.

Abhishek Nair and Vinit Indulkar were yet to open their account at stumps.

Mumbai's bowlers stuck to their plan with tight spells and helped themselves to wickets at regular intervals, as they justified captain Nilesh Kulkarni's decision to put Maharashtra in to bat after winning the toss.

Right-arm medium pacer Rajesh Varma was rewarded with three early wickets out of four, that included formidable batsmen Dhiraj Jadhav and captain Hrishikesh Kanitkar, as Maharashtra went to lunch struggling on 70 for four.

Scorecard

Maharashtra 1st innings
S Satbhai b Verma 6
D Jadhav lbw b Verma 37
H Kanitkar c Marathe b Verma 1
M Nigde b Nair 11
A Kale c Kukreja b Hazare 3
S Bahutule not out 45
A Raut c Indulkar b Powar 17
A Sanclecha c Kukreja b Kulkarni 4
M Patel b Kulkarni 39
S Burkul lbw b Verma 29
R Jadhav c Shetye b Kulkarni 7
Extras (b 2, lb 7, w 1, nb 4) 14
Total (all out, 78.1 overs, 345 mins) 213

Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-20, 3-34, 4-43, 5-88, 6-107, 7-134, 8-198, 9-210, 10-213

Bowling: Hazare 15 6 28 1 (1w), Verma 21 6 63 4 (4nb), Nair 10 3 32 1, Powar 18 4 47 1, Kulkarni 14.1 1 34 3

Mumbai 1st innings
S Kukreja lbw b Burkul 4
S Marathe b Patel 6
A Nair not out 0
V Indulkar not out 0
Extras (lb 1, nb 9) 10
Total (2 wickets, 9 overs) 20

Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-19.

Bowling: Patel 5 0 8 1 (4nb), Burkul 4 1 11 1 (1nb)