New Delhi, Dec 10 (Inditop.com) Ankit Bawne struck a defiant century amidst ruins as Maharashtra dug heels here Thursday only to ensure that Delhi return to bat on the fourth and final morning to win their Ranji Trophy Super League tie at the Roshanara Club ground.
Resuming at 32 for one, Maharashtra, following on, were looking to crash out in the opening session itself after its three bastmen were knocked off in the first hour of the day’s play. Left-arm pacer Pradeep Sangwan (5-95) and Sumit Narwal (1-42) reduced them to 64/4.
But Bawne (118) forged two important partnerships with wicketkeeper Rohit Motwani (61) and Digambar Waghmare (46) to save his side the embarrassment of an innings defeat.
Maharashtra ended the day at 334 for nine with a lead of 78 runs and Kiran Adhav (13) and Samad Fallah (5) at crease, before bad light stopped play six overs short.
But Maharashtra’s poor first innings total of 163 in reply to Delhi’s 419 means that the visitors will have a very small total to defend.
And it will be a formality for Delhi to win the match Friday.
Their second straight victory at home will enhance their chances of a quarterfinal berth. The hosts, however, would like to close the match with a bonus point by keeping all their wickets entact.
After their pacers’ brilliant performance in the first innings, Delhi were banking on seamers to snatch the win this day.
And they indeed began on the right note. Sangwan rattled the off stump of Maharashtra skipper Harshad Khadiwale (20), who failed to read an incoming delivery, and then knocked off the middle stump of Kedar Jadhav. Narwal blew away the middle stump of Sangram Atitkar.
Bawne walked in and with Motwani immediatlly set out to launch a recovery process. At lunch, Maharashtra were 170 for four.
Bawane, who got the first century of the season against Karnataka in Pune, added 107 runs with Motwani.
After Motwani and Ganesh Gaekwad’s dismissal, Bawane joined hands with Waghmare to keep Maharashtra afloat with a 105-run stand for the sixth wicket.
The visitors covered up the 256-run first innings lead shortly after tea. The session also saw Bawne bringing up his second hundred when he slashed a Virat Kohli delivery to the third man. His hundred came in 174 balls with the help of 13 fours.
A high rising delivery off Sangwan which he edged to Kohli at gully brought an end to his gritty knock that came in 197 balls and had 16 fours.
“We told ourselves in the meeting yesterday that we have two full days to play and we cannot succumb so easily. I wanted to stick there as long as possible. I am happy that we played well today,” he said.
“We have played well in patches and have not been so consistent throughout the season. That is something we have to look into,” he said.
