Delhi strikes back after Praveen provides UP edge

Uttar Pradesh’s seamer Praveen Kumar (8 for 68) late bust spell the dooms for the opponents as he aided his team to fetch a crucial 52-run first innings lead against Delhi but the UP team squandered away the vital advantage after losing six wickets in their second essay and were tottering at 156 for 6 after the end of day three of the Ranji Trophy final played at the Wankhade stadium here on Friday.

Resuming from 196 for 4, Delhi was bundled up for 290, as they could only manage to add 36 more runs to their overnight score in their first innings, just before the lunch, providing their opponents a lead of 52 runs.

The six-time champions started the day on a positive note with experienced Aakash Chopra (102) reached his century during that session but soon the whirlwind Praveen got stranglehold of the proceedings and packed up the Delhi innings in quick time, using the second new ball on his will, to return with a figure of 8 for 68.

Kumar trapped Chopra in front of the wicket in the very first over after the second new ball was taken and accounted another dismissal in the very next ball, showing the pavilion’s way to wicketkeeper Puneet Bisht on a duck.

Sumit Narwal survived a loud hat-trick shout while Rajat Bhatia (139 not out) completed his century. The 21-year-old was on a fire and cleared his indications straightaway after picking up the new ball.

He soon castled Narwal (5) and came back to capture Pradeep Sangwan (9) and Amit Bhandari (0), both out leg before. Sudeep Tyagi (2 for 63) induced an edge of Chetanya Nanda (0) to Suresh Raina at second slip to become the highest wicket-taker in this season with 41 scalps, surpassing Karnataka's R Vinay Kumar (40).

Kumar stakes his claim, in front of National selectors present at the ground, for the Aussie bound squad, which is to be announced on Sunday here. His impressive figures were the fifth best by a bowler in a Ranji final and the best by a seamer thus far.

Kumar, who had played a lone game during the recent ODI series against the touring Pakistan side, wasn't too sure about his chances, though he appears certain for the squad.

"I've been performing well for the last six matches," summed up Kumar.

However, Praveen’s hard effort were put into dust by Uttar Pradesh batters as they didn't have a good start to their second innings. First innings centurion Tanmay Srivastava got run out for just one in the very third over.

Rohit Srivastava (18) and Suresh Raina (85) gelled well to put on 62 runs for the second wicket before the former edged one Bhatia delivery to Bisht. Raina and captain Mohammad Kaif (21) stitched a 60-run stand for the third wicket to take Uttar Pradesh on a comfortably placed 123 for 2 at tea.

If the first session was dominated by UP bowlers then the last was by Delhi seamers as UP lost four wickets after adding just 31 runs in post-tea session. Skipper Kaif was caught behind the wicket off Sangwan in the very first over of the third session and Raina, who tormented Delhi attack with an aggressive knock, studded with 11 fours and a six, fell soon after, in the same manner.

Ravikant Shukla (0), who missed out a century in the first essay, got a reprieve as Bhandari put him down off his own bowling, as he was yet to open his account. But the batsman couldn’t cash on the opportunity as he departed soon after edging one to Aditya Jain at first slip off Bhandari.

Piyush Chawla had to pay for the extravagant shot and was caught at gully off Narwal, U.P. were reduced to 130 for six and the advantage was again came back in Delhi’s hands.

Bhuvanesh Kumar (19) and Amir Khan (4) held the fort in the closing stages and ensured no further damage was done as U.P. ended the day at 154 for six, ahead by 206 runs with four of their second innings wickets remaining.

Delhi bowlers know their job quite well and they will come out on Saturday morning with all cylinders firing will. "We'll try to get the remaining wickets early on tomorrow," said Sangwan after the match. Sangwan has picked up six wickets in the match so far.

SCOREBOARD

Uttar Pradesh — 1st innings: 342

Delhi — 1st innings
Gautam Gambhir c Raina b Praveen Kumar 0, Akash Chopra lbw b Praveen 102, Shikhar Dhawan b Praveen 14, Mithun Manhas lbw b Praveen 0, Aditya Jain c Raina b S. Tyagi 8, Rajat Bhatia (not out) 139, Puneet Bisht lbw b Praveen 0, Sumit Narwal b Praveen 5, Chetanya Nanda c Raina b Tyagi 0, Pradeep Sangwan lbw b Praveen 9, Amit Bhandari lbw b Praveen 0

Extras: (lb-7, nb-4, w-2) 13
Total: 290 in 98.1 overs

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-15, 3-15, 4-36, 5-232, 6-232, 7-244, 8-247, 9-270, 10-290

Bowling: Praveen Kumar 32.1-8-68-8, Sudeep Tyagi 24-5-63-2, Bhuvanesh Kumar 15-5-54-0, Piyush Chawla 13-2-57-0, Praveen Gupta 10-2-29-0, Ravikant Shukla 2-0-7-0, Rohit Srivastava 2-0-5-0.

U.P. — 2nd innings
Rohit Srivastava c Bisht b Bhatia 18, Tanmay Srivastava (run out) 1, Suresh Raina c Bisht b Sangwan 85, Mohd Kaif c Bisht b Sangwan 21, Ravikant Shukla c Jain b Bhandari 0, Piyush Chawla c Dharmani b Narwal 4, Bhuvanesh Kumar (batting) 19, Amit Khan (batting) 4

Extras: (nb-2) 2
Total: 154 in 53 overs for six wkts
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-63, 3-123, 4-126, 5-130, 6-130
Bowling: Pradeep Sangwan 15-3-41-2, Sumit Narwal 12-4-48-1, Amit Bhandari 11-2-28-1, Rajat Bhatia 8-3-14-1, Chetanya Nanda 7-1-23-0.