Dec 27: Delhi’s hopes of making the grade in to the last four stage, in the current edition of Ranji Trophy championship, got its wings on Wednesday when they reached at the verge of getting crucial first innings lead to earn at least three points against Tamil Nadu in the Group ‘A’ Ranji Trophy Super League match played at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Wednesday.
Delhi is just three runs away of Tamil Nadu’s 268 with four wickets remaining and all set in taking the first innings lead, after facing a washed out in his penultimate match against Karnataka in Bangalore last week, however, his hopes also relied on the outcome of the ongoing Mumbai-Saurashtra match in Mumbai.
The visitors were 265 for six at the draw of stumps on the second day in reply to Tamil Nadu’s first innings score of 268. Wicket-keeper batsman Puneet Bisht (14) and Pradeep Sangwan (2) were at the crease.
Delhi’s aim of getting first innings lead was well scripted by seasoned openers Aakash Chopra (55) and Gautam Gambhir (84) followed by middle order bat Shikhar Dhawan (59). All three of them scored much-needed fine half-centuries to close in the margin.
Tamil Nadu could only add 14 runs to their total after resuming from 250/9. Delhi openers Aakash Chopra and Gautam Gambhir stitched a crucial opening partnership of 141 runs in just 35.2 overs.
C Suresh broke the decisive partnership in the 36th over just when Delhi set for a massive total. He got rid of Chopra, who made 55 (112 balls, 10 fours), and soon sent back Gambhir.
Gambhir, who got a reprieve by M Vijay in the slips off Ramkumar at 18, made 84 (108 balls), which included sixteen fours. Shikhar Dhawan hit 55 runs (112 balls, 8x4) and also added 55 runs for the fourth wicket with Virat Kohli.
Rest of the Delhi batsman couldn’t contribute much as Chennai’s Suresh and Ramkumar dominated the proceedings. The duo of left arm spinners C Suresh (4/65) and R. Ramkumar (2/89) shared the wickets that fell on yesterday.
Middle order batsmen Mithun Manhas (12), Virat Kohli (19), Rajat Bhatia (10) failed to make any significant contribution.
SCOREBOARD
Tamil Nadu — 1st innings: A. Mukund c Chopra b Nanda 51, M. Vijay lbw b Bhatia 77; S. Badrinath lbw b Nanda 9, Vasudeva Dass b Nanda 0, R. Srinivasan c Bist b Bhatia 23, S. Suresh Kumar c Bist b Sangwan 20, K.H. Gopinath c Nanda b Narendra Singh 13, R. Ramkumar c Bist b Sangwan 32, V. Yomahesh c Bist b Awana 8, C. Suresh lbw b Bhatia 14, P. Amarnath (not out) 7
Extras: (b-4, lb-5, nb-5) 14;
Total: (in 96.2 overs) 268.
Fall of wickets: 1-127, 2-143, 3-143, 4-157, 5-173, 6-201, 7-219, 8-238, 9-250 and 10-265.
Delhi bowling: Sangwan 22-8-48-2, Awana 16-2-58-1, N. Singh 21-4-72-1, Bhatia 14.2-5-16-3, Nanda 22-5-65-3, Manhas 1-1-0-0
Delhi — Ist innings: A. Chopra c Das b C. Suresh 55, G. Gambhir c Mukund b C. Suresh 84, S. Dhawan c Badrinath b C. Suresh 59, M. Manhas c Gopinath b Ramkumar 12, V. Kohli c Mukund b Ramkumar 19, R. Bhatia c Vijay b Suresh 10, P. Bist (batting) 14, P. Sangwan (batting) 2
Extras: (lb-6, nb-3, w-1) 10
Total: (for six wickets in 81 overs) 265.
Fall of wickets: 1-141, 2-146, 3-169, 4-224, 5-237 and 6-252.
Tamil Nadu bowling: Yomahesh 14-4-51-0; Amarnath 11-1-34-0; Ramkumar 28-3-89-2; S. Suresh Kumar 4-0-20-0; C. Suresh 24-4-65-4.
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