Delhi have their backs to the wall

After a listless bowling effort, the visitors struggle with the bat too

The realisation of not picking the right bowling combination and failing to read the Scindia Stadium wicket correctly was already pricking Delhi and the second day8217;s proceedings against Saurashtra only made them bleed.

Except for a few minutes in between the first session, nothing went right for the visitors. Saurashtra rose from a safe score to a mammoth total and the distance between the overnight score of 284-3 to 492 all out was covered quickly with the help of some insipid bowling by Delhi and slippery hands in the field.

First the visitors conceded a whopping 56 runs in extras and found themselves helpless as Cheteshwar Pujara registered a back-to-back ton. They further allowed Kamlesh Rasik Makwana and Sandip Manu Maniyar to poke fun at them by scoring individual half-centuries and add 99 runs for the last wicket. The misery carried on with the bat as Delhi lost Aakash Chopra, Mayank Tehlan and nightwatchman Amit Bhandari with just 50 runs on the board but eventually winded the day at 61-3 8212; Shikhar Dhawan was playing on 30 and skipper Mitthun Manhas was on 10.

Delhi got fair success in the first session 8212; Ishant Sharma providing the early breakthrough when he cleaned-up overnight batsman Kotak on 95. Delhi took four Saurashtra wickets within 29 runs with Amit Bhandari picking up two. The former India seamer looked a far better bowler than yesterday and picked up steam in short bursts.

However, Pujara at the other end was on a different zone and grafted his second ton of the season in a patient manner. His century oozed maturity as he picked the right balls to punish and played all along the ground to negate any risk. His superb timing was visible in each of his 19 boundaries but in a momentary lapse, Pujara, on 139, nibbled at an away going delivery from Rajat Bhatia and the keeper pulled curtains on his 268-ball knock.

But the fun had just started when Pujara left at 381-8. Twelve runs later, the final pair was on the field but Delhi seamers were an exhausted lot after lunch. They looked clueless against the tail-enders and bowled all over. All the bowlers tried their luck, and substitute Chetanya Nanda8217;s dropping a sitter on Bhandari8217;s ball didn8217;t ease out things either. Makwana was on 24 then, and he was last man standing at a score of 54.

Eventually, it was debutant off-spinner Suhail Sharma, who ended Maniar8217;s innings of 57 and pulled a cap on Saurashtra8217;s first innings.

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From the match point of view, Delhi are too far away to even think about first innings lead; the visitors still need 281 runs to avoid follow-on. But the way hosts8217; spinners are utilising the rough patches, scoring runs seems to be a difficult task for the visitors.

Brief scores: Saurashtra 492 Cheteshwar Pujara 139, Sudhanshu Kotak 95, Kamlesh Makwana 54, Sandip Maniyar 57; Ashish Nehra 3/115, Ishant Sharma 3/117, Amit Bhandari 2/75 vs Delhi 61/3.