If catches win matches, as they say, Delhi might just be playing for another lost cause. In their first three games, their batting and bowling had, at different times, let the team down. On Sunday morning, the first day of their crucial Ranji Trophy tie against Gujarat, it was some shoddy slip catching that let their opponents off the hook.Gujarat escaped to 310 for seven after winning the toss and batting first on a pitch that afforded a fair bit of help for the seamers. Skipper Parthiv Patel’s decision seemed to have backfired when they were reduced to 28 for three at one stage, but Bhavik Thaker made the most of Delhi’s generosity in the field to notch up his second century of the season, making the early breakthroughs of Sumit Narhwal and Parvinder Awana look silly. Delhi grassed as many as eight clear chances, four of them off Thaker. Thaker reached his century from 158 balls after 230 minutes of survival at the wicket with 10 boundaries and two towering sixes off leg-spinner Chetnya Nanda. More importantly, he will continue from 121 on Monday. Parthiv scored a handy 55, combining well to weather the early storm, and local boy Ashraf Makda provided good entertainment towards the end of the day with some outrageous strokeplay. He was unbeaten on an eventful 23-ball 18 that ensured the 1000-odd spectators who spent their holiday on the wooden galleries or peeping through the high-rise windows in the vicinity of the Bulsar Cricket Association ground left with smiles on their faces. For Delhi’s slip cordon, the troubles started with the first new ball and continued even when the second one was taken towards the end of the day. Thaker got the first of his four lives when Aakash Chopra at second slip and Mayank Tehlan at third failed to react to a slash that went between them, before wicket-keeper Punit Bisht grassed one immediately after. He was dropped again, after he had gone past his half-century, by Bisht, and when Shikhar Dhawan put one down after the second new ball was taken, it was almost predictable.After stumps, Gujarat coach Bharat Patel was busy giving slip catches to his players. Gujarat obviously learnt some lessons from the first day’s play, and the onus now is on the Delhi batsmen to get their act together. Interestingly, the one time Chopra has won the toss this season, Delhi picked up three points. He’s now lost three tosses in a row and the signs are ominous.
