Heavy rain, after just 20 minutes of play, played spoilsport on the third day of the Duleep Trophy match between India Red and India Blue at the Green Park Stadium here on Friday.
Blue added 16 to its tally to move to 232 for three, chasing Red’s first innings total of 383.
Even though the ground staff did a splendid job in drying up the ground as soon as the downpour stopped, wet patches forced the umpires, who made repeated inspections, to finally call off play at 7.15 p.m.
Opener Hanuma Vihari, unbeaten on 86, added two more runs in the short period of play, while Deepak Hooda reached 37.
With the possibility of the pitch behaving a bit differently after the showers and the enhanced moisture, it should be an interesting final day. However, there is forecast of a thunderstorm on Saturday. Red, which had beaten Green in the opening match in Lucknow, would fancy its chances of making the final in the three-team competition.
The scores:
India Red — 1st innings: 383.
India Blue — 1st innings: Samit Gohil c Karthik b Karn 32, Hanuma Vihari
(batting) 88, Manoj Tiwary c Rishabh b Thampi 20, Suresh Raina c Panchal b Vijay 52, Deepak Hooda (batting) 37; Extras (lb-2, nb-1): 3; Total (for three wkts. in 65.4 overs): 232.
Fall of wickets: 1-47, 2-86, 3-159.
India Red bowling: Karn Sharma 14-2-51-1, Siddharth Kaul 14.4-3-32-0,
Basil Thampi 12-0-61-1, C.V. Milind 9-2-26-0, Vijay Gohil 16-3-60-1.
