After its bowlers fought back in the first session, India Blue ended the day on 183 for five, trailing by 133 runs thanks to Dhruv Shorey’s unbeaten 86 (174b, 8x4, 1x6) at the end of day two in the Duleep Trophy at the NPR College ground here.
Resuming at 256 for four, India Red had a chance to post a big total. But some disciplined bowling from Blue ensured that Red could only add 60 to its overnight total.
Blue’s reply got to a terrible start after brilliant opening spells from off-spinner Parvez Rasool and pacer Rajneesh Gurbani left it tottering at 18 for three.
It was then left to Delhi’s Shorey and Andhra’s Ricky Bhui to come up with a rescue act, stitching together a 112-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Shorey played a crafty innings and made full use of the reprieve given on six when Shahbaz Nadeem, at point, dropped an easy chance off Abhimanyu Mithun.
Shorey’s innings was one of grit and patience as he hardly played any loose shot after the reprieve.
Earlier, overnight batsman, Siddhesh Lad started with a beautiful cover-drive to the fence but was soon lulled into an expansive drive by pacer B. Ayyappa and was caught at gully, 12 short of what would have been a well-deserved ton.
The scores: India Red: Sanjay Ramaswamy c Bhui b Wakhare 72, Abhinav Mukund lbw b Unadkat 0, B. Aparajith c Fazil b Saurabh 48, Ashutosh Singh (not out) 46, Siddhesh Lad c Anmolpreet b Ayyappa 88, Akshay Wadkar b Ayyappa 15, Parvez Rasool c Bharat b Unadkat 8, Abhimanyu Mithun lbw b Wakhare 31, Shabhaz Nadeem c Raman b Wakhare 0, Rajneesh Gurabani b Saurabh 2, Ishan Porel c Bharat b Saurabh 0; Extras (b-2, nb-3, w-1): 6; Total (in 114.5 overs): 316.
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-117, 3-123, 4-256, 5-261, 6-270, 7-311, 8-311, 9-316.
India Blue bowling: Unadkat 16-6-63-2, Kulkarni 18-3-52-0, Ayyappa 20-5-48-2, Saurabh 33.5-7-75-3, Wakhare 27-4-76-3.
India Blue: Abhishek Raman lbw b Gurbani 12, Faiz Fazal b Rasool 1, Dhruv Shorey (batting) 86, Anmolpreet Singh c Abhinav b Gurbani 1, Ricky Bhui c sub b Aparajith 41, K.S. Bharat b Rasool 35, Saurabh Kumar (batting) 0; Extras (lb-1, b-6): 7; Total (for five wickets in 63 overs): 183.
Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-17, 3-18, 4-130, 5-181.
India Red bowling: Rasool 24-2-63-2, Gurbani 8-3-12-2, Mithun 7-1-27-1, Nadeem 17-3-37-0, Porel 3-1-12-0, Aparajith 4-0-25-1.
