Chennai (India), Sept 21: Rahul Dravid struck a brilliant century as Rest of India successfully chased 340 to beat national champions Mumbai by three wickets in India’s premier domestic match on Sunday.

The 30-year-old Dravid, who struck 12 fours and four towering sixes, shared in a 168-run stand for the fourth wicket with Vangipurappu Laxman, who was dismissed for 99 in the Irani Cup.

Dravid had earlier got unexpected support at the start of the day from nightwatchman Lakshmipathy Balaji, who held on for two hours to score 26 until he fell shortly before lunch.

But there was a crisis of sorts after Dravid and Laxman fell in quick succession to leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule and the Rest slipped to 312 for seven following a middle-order collapse.

Captain Saurav Ganguly held up one end with a 34-ball 28 not out to guide the Rest, bundled out for 202 in the first innings, home on the fourth day of the annual Irani Cup.

India, who have not played Test cricket since December last year, host New Zealand in a two-Test series starting on Oct 8 in Ahmedabad.

Brief scores: Mumbai 297 (Sachin Tendulkar 94; Zaheer Khan 5-77) and 244 (Ramesh Powar 57, Tendulkar 50; Harbhajan Singh 4-79); Rest of India 202 (Powar 4-61) and 341-7 (Rahul Dravid 121, Vangipurappu Laxman 99).—Reuters