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Awana takes centrestage

Special Correspondent

Rajkot: Steaming in with purpose, paceman Parvinder Awana largely influenced proceedings against an opponent who had proved to be a thorn in Delhi’s flesh in the last two years.

One of the few in the history of the National championship to perform a hat-trick, the 22-year old partially fulfilled an objective his team had to set out in a ‘make or mar’ Ranji Trophy Super League match against Saurashtra at the Race Course ground here on Friday.

Awana’s four victims, from the middle to lower order, were cleanly removed. And if the home team could muster only 234 for nine on an extended opening day, it was because of a splendid part played by Awana twenty minutes before close to remove the prolific Cheteshwar Pujara.

In the middle as early as the 14th over, Pujara hammered some exquisite shots on the off-side and it appeared Delhi would suffer blows from a willow that had, in five previous matches, produced close to 700 runs.

Costly error

Much against the run of play, Pujara fell. After playing a firm shot to mid-on, he called Bhushan Chauhan for a run. His decision turned fatal as Awana pounced on the ball and directed a flat throw to the Punit Bisht.

Virtually half way down the track, a determined Pujara dived to get back, but Delhi was already applauding the smart work of Awana and Bisht.

Saurashtra did not have anyone of Pujara’s calibre to provide a thrust, though left hander Ravindra Jadeja (56, 146m, 115b, 7 x 4) struck beautiful shots on the offside and forged a stand of 81 with Chauhan (61, 250m, 153b, 7 x 4s).

Narwal bowls well

Though Awana was the pick, Narwal, who provided the initial breakthrough, bowled manfully and showed as intensity as Awana.

The Delhi batsmen need to look only at the two for inspiration and put up enough runs in quest of five or six points before they travel to Jaipur for the last league match.

The scores: Saurashtra — 1st innings: C. Pathak c Bisht b Narwal 15, B. Chauhan lbw b Nanda 61, S. Kotak c Dhawan b Awana 3, C. Pujara (run out) 15, R. Jadeja b Awana 56, J. Shah c Bisht b Awana 11, S. Jogiani b Nagar 28, R. Dhruv c Chopra v Narwal 13, K. Makwana (batting) 4, S. Jobanputra c Bisht b Awana 5, B. Jadeja (batting) 1, Extras (b-10, lb-3, nb-7, w-2) 22, Total (for nine wkts. in 84 overs): 234.

Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-41, 3-73, 4-154, 5-177, 6-178, 7-208, 8-226, 9-233.

Delhi bowling: Narwal 19-5-46-2, Sangwan 13-2-44-0, Awana 19-3-57-4, Bhatia 7-1-21-0, Nanda 21-7-44-1, Nagar 5-0-9-1.

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