Mumbai:Mumbai once again underlined their supremacy when they registered a comprehensive 132-run victory over Bengal on the fourth and penultimate day of the Ranji Trophy cricket final at the Wankhede Stadium here yesterday (Feb 5,2007).

The result, which saw Mumbai win the national championship for a record 37th time, was all the more creditable considering the ordinary start they had made to their campaign.

Chasing an improbable target of 472 runs, Bengal came up with a determined response in the earlier part of the day before folding up for 339 in their second innings after tea.

Making his debut for Mumbai, left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan backed his first innings five-wicket haul with another fine effort as he claimed four in the second to trigger the Bengal collapse.

The loss of the last six wickets for just five runs put paid to hopes of Bengal, who at one stage looked extremely good during the run-chase with saw half-centuries from Deep Dasgupta, Manoj Tewari and Sourav Ganguly.

Resuming at 98 for 2, Bengal went about their task in an efficient manner, reaching 226 for 3 at lunch.

However, just when the partnership was assuming threatening proportions, Tewari (94) who put 117-runs for the fourth wicket with Ganguly, unnecessarily played an uppish shot to hole out at point off Abhishek Nair's bowling.

It was a crucial moment of the game, which saw Rohan Gavaskar's arrival with the new ball to be due in just few overs.