New Delhi, Dec 3 (Inditop.com) Delhi’s four-pronged pace attack put them in the driver’s seat against Saurashtra after Puneet Bisht’s fighting century ensured the hosts a first-innings lead on the third day of the Ranji Trophy Super League tie at the Roshanara Club ground here Thursday.
In a remarkable turn of fortunes, Delhi, who were left groping at 262 for seven in their first innings Wednesday, were first saved the blushes by the 141-run eighth-wicket stand between Bisht and Pradeep Sangwan (57). Thanks to the crucial partnership, the hosts finished at 383 runs, with a lead of 55-runs.
It was then the turn of the Delhi pacers to spring into action and they rocked the Saurashtra batting to leave the visitors reeling at 181 for seven at stumps.
Delhi thus would be eyeing their first outright victory of the season Friday with Saurashtra ahead by 126 runs and only three wickets in hand.
Prateek Mehta (19) and Sandeep Maniar (8) would have much to do to save the match when they walk to the strip on the final morning.
Once Delhi managed to get a sizeable first-innings lead, the bowlers — Sangwan (2-41), Pawan Suyal (2-29) and Parvinder Awana (2-31) came out firing to wreck Saurashtra batting. Sumit Narwal (1-41) also chipped in with the important wicket of Ravindra Jadeja.
Sangwan gave the breakthrough when he removed opener Sagar Jogiyani for duck in the second over of the innings and then returned to remove danger man Cheteshwar Pujara (29). Saurashtra lost wickets at regular intervals against a disciplined Delhi attack and were reduced to 89 for three by tea.
Pujara looked poised to carry his bat through the day but he misread Sangwan’s away going delivery to edge a catch to Kohli at gully. Suyal then crippled Saurashtra when he dismissed Jaydev Shah (35) and Sandeep Jobanputra in the 44th over.
First-innings centurion Chirag Pathak made 43 before falling to Awana
Earlier, Delhi’s resurrection centred around Bisht’s first ton of the season. The diminutive wicket-keeper found an able support in Sangwan who stroked his career best innings and second half century.
The two saw off the crucial morning session with relative ease with the sting in Saurashtra bowling missing unlike Wednesday.
Bisht who lifted Delhi’s hopes amidst ruins with his overnight 49 continued in the same vein this morning, bringing up his 50 in the second ball of the day, and then displaying delectable strokes from his repertoire to reach his century, that could turn out to be a match saving knock.
He smacked Ravindra Jadeja to boundary at the extra cover to bring up his second ton in 156 balls and with a total of 14 fours in the 17th over. It was Bisht’s second century in three years, the last one coming against Karnataka here in 2006. Bisht’s 169-ball stay had 18 fours.
Sangwan showed maturity in his maiden 117-ball knock, studded with five boundaries and a six. Jadeja got the breakthrough when he trapped Sangwan lbw, but by then the left arm pacer had done his job.
Bisht got a reprimand from the match referee Shakti Singh at the end of day’s play for excessive appealing while Rajat Bhatia was fined 60 per cent of his match fee for celebrating one of the dismissals before the umpire’s decision.
