Patience is a great virtue in the longer format of the game, something that the Maharashtra team would have realised after letting slip an opportunity to make the final. In the last day of the semi final, Maharashtra were out-persevered by an experienced Tamil Nadu side who progressed on the basis of the first-innings.

Against Tamil Nadu’s 549, Maharashtra’s first innings ended on 454 all out, deep into the first session on Sunday, despite being 290/1 at some point on the previous day. Defending champions Karnataka await their southern neighbours in the final at Wankhede from March 8.

Going into the final day, the match was still wide open. A 270-run partnership between Swapnil Gugale and Chirag Khurana yesterday had set things up nicely for Maharashtra. They resumed on overnight 394/5 and batted untroubled for the first 10 overs. Ankit Bawne got to his 19th first-class fifty with Rohit Motwani offering steady support at the other end.

Then, part-time medium-pacer Vijay Shankar was brought into the attack from the Club House end and the game changed. Shankar bowled a bouncer in the fourth ball of his first over, Motwani attempted a hook but gloved it to Dinesh Karthik behind the stumps.

A loose shot, and the skipper was livid with himself. Two balls later Bawne was done in by a gentle outswinger with Ramaswamy Prasanna taking the catch at second slip. Shankar had only nine first-class wickets before this match. Here he proved to be the man with the golden arm for Tamil Nadu.

“He has been developing into a fine all-rounder. He bowled very well yesterday and was a bit unlucky not to get a wicket. I brought him quite early today, for I was confident he could make an impact. I think it was 60-40 on our side when we started the day. Shankar’s over was decisive,” Tamil Nadu captain Abhinav Mukund lauded the youngster who was adjudged Man of the Match.

The double blow reduced Maharashtra to 412/7 and there was little resistance from the tail. After a couple of fours and a six, Anupam Sanklecha was dismissed by Aswin Crist. Domnic Joseph lasted only two balls before giving a simple catch to Baba Aparajith, once again off Crist.

Samad Fallah’s run out bordered on the comical — a complete miscommunication between him and Shrikant Mundhe. Maharashtra failed because they didn’t have the calmness to get over the line. As far as Tamil Nadu were concerned, they had a certain strategy, however unattractive that might be, and stuck to it. They were patient enough to wear down their opponents.

This will be their 12th Ranji Trophy final. The last five times that Tamil Nadu has made the final, they have been unsuccessful in claiming the trophy, the latest attempt being the 2011-12 loss to Rajasthan. Karnataka had earlier registered a convinving win over multiple champions Mumbai to set up their title defense.

Slow over-rate

Tamil Nadu were fined for “serious over-rate” offence as they were found to be eight overs short in the Ranji Trophy semifinal against Maharashtra. Match referee Sunil Chaturvedi docked captain Abhinav Mukund 40 per cent of his match fee, while his team mates were fined 20 per cent.

Brief scores: Tamil Nadu 549 and 119/0 decl in 46.2 overs (Abhinav Mukund 66*, Baba Aparajith 51*) vs Maharashtra 454 all out in 142 overs (Ankit Bawne 57; Aswin Crist 4/89).