The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Delhi-Gujarat match ends in a draw

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Delhi-Gujarat match ends in a draw

Special Correspondent

VALSAD: Delhi, simmering with anger over one umpiring decision on the third day, lacked the firepower to channelise the feelings into one final crack at Gujarat on the final day at Sardar Patel stadium.

The cool morning conditions helped seamers move the ball off the pitch, wicketkeeper Punit Bisht ended up working more than the batsmen in the drawn Ranji Trophy Elite League Group A fourth round match.

Gujarat gained three points while Delhi got one point.

Parthiv, in a positive mood after wresting the first innings lead on day three, treated himself to batting practice against the Delhi attack, accumulating 71 off 119 balls in the second innings, play was called off with Gujarat 257 for six.

Priority

Enjoying the upperhand right through in a contest of cricket skills with the Elite League champions, Parthiv pointed out that making the quarterfinal was his team’s first priority. “We plan before each game, have plans for specific batsmen and bowlers, but don’t think too far ahead. It is better to take things as they happen. Gujarat is a bowling side, so a score in the range of 350 is enough for our bowlers to wrest the initiative.”

Gujarat spinners Mohnish Parmar and Timil Patel posed more problems for batsmen than the Delhi slow bowlers. The off-spinner made the ball fizz and turn across the stumps and the leg-break bowler send down looping deliveries.

Delhi’s leg-spinner Chetanya Nanda made little impact in comparison on the fourth morning, except deceiving Niraj Patel into driving the ball back for a catch taken stretching across on the follow-through.

The scores: Gujarat — 1st innings: 350

Delhi — 1st innings: 314

Gujarat — 2nd innings: P. Panchal b Narwal 48, N. Modi c Chopra b Awana 27, Niraj Patel c & b Nanda 45, Parthiv Patel c Bisht b Narwal 71, B. Thakker (not out) 37, S. Patel (run out) 5, Timil Patel c Chopra b Nanda 12, I. Choudhary (not out) 1; Extras (b6, lb3, nb4) 13. Total (104 overs) 259 for six wickets.

Fall of wkts: 1-81, 2-87, 3-194, 4-217, 5-224, 6-255

Delhi bowling: Narwal 20-6-31-2, Sangwan 14-2-38-0, Nanda

22-0-79-2, Manhas 15-4-29-0, Awana 17-5-42-1, Nagar 16-5-31-0.

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