Narender returns the compliment

The former Delhi off-spinner turned the tables on his detractors as he finished with figures of 7-2-17-3 and along with seamer Abhishek Pandey,who picked up four himself — polished off Delhi U-22 team for only 204,at St. Stephen’s ground on Wednesday.

After serving up a reminder of his usefulness to his former selectors – Chetan Chauhan and Rajkumar Sharma (now an U-22 coach) — who were at the game,Singh said he was looking forward to greater success with his employers.

“I am happy with my haul today. After a bad match against Tamil Nadu we have started well here. Though I didn’t get to bowl too many overs,I am satisfied with whatever I got,” he told Sportline.

But even Railways made him wait for over six months before confirming his Grade III job. That wait ensured that he missed the cut to attend the trials and a ticket to the elite of domestic cricket.

“My confirmation came late and so I missed the chance to attend the trials. It’s a new start and I am only getting to know my teammates. I will need time to know my role in the team,till that time I happy with what I get,” he said of his new beginning with the Railways U-22 team. His skipper Karn Sharma kept him waiting till 51 overs to unleash him on his former teammates,including Gaurav Chabbra and Yogesh Nagar. Sharma had by then dismissed Chabbra and Nagar was run out after a horrible mix-up with Chabbra before lunch.

Singh is more focused towards his future rather than his time with the Delhi team. “I didn’t get a game last year. Twice I was told on the eve of match that I will play but I didn’t play the next morning. But that was last year,as I said this is a new beginning for me. I know I have to keep on performing before thinking about playing at the highest level,” he added.

Tall order

Delhi were four wickets down by lunch on Day One of their four-day game. Pandey had them in all sorts of trouble early on,but Delhi had nobody but themselves to blame. After losing opener Abhishek Kapoor as early as the second over,skipper Rahul Yadav and Gaurav Chhabra,did well to play the next seven overs,before losing their wickets.

Yadav was caught in front of the wicket by a Pandey delivery and Vartik Tihara was pouched by wicketkeeper Mohammad Arif off Boddu Amit. But two dismissals either side of lunch broke Delhi ‘s resolve. Yogesh Nagar was run out after a mix-up with Chabbra five overs before lunch. Chabbra’s dismissal was symptomatic of Delhi ‘s day. A Karn Sharma delivery struck him on his pads and while he and his teammates were busy appealing,the ball trickled onto the stumps. Only a late surge from the tailenders,saw them cross the 200-run barrier. At stumps,Railways had put on 34 runs on the board without any loss.

Brief scores: Delhi first innings 204 all out in 74 overs (Gaurav Chhabra 28,Puneet Mehra 31,Vishu Tomar 26; Abhishek Pandey 4/52,Narender Singh 3/17); Railways first innings 34 for no loss in 14 overs