Delhi bowlers strike late

Day One of the Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Saurashtra appeared to have everything a good cricket contest requires.

Day One of the Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Saurashtra appeared to have everything a good cricket contest requires. The Group B Super League match saw runs scored at a frantic pace,ten wickets falling on a green patch,a flashy century from Chirag Pathak and an innings full of character by Cheteshwar Pujara.

The hosts lost the initiative in the first session but were lucky to snatch it back in the last,terminating Saurashtras first innings for 328 and ending the first day at 22 for no loss with Ankur Julka on 7 and Aditya Jain on 15.

The Saurashtra openers went for the green-top invitation from Delhi with a counter-attack plan; the left-right combine of Pathak and Sagar Jogiyani launching on the front-foot with a range of compulsive hitting,forcing an early change of ball and making skipper Virat Kohli introduce all his main options within the first eight overs. The diminutive Pathak charged down and upset the rhythm of the quicker bowlers,and Saurashtras first 100 runs came in just 16.1 overs. Pathak was dropped twice on 41 when Julka couldnt latch on to a difficult chance at second slip off Parvinder Awana and on 66 by Aditya Jain at gully.

In between,Awana got one to nip back sharply to hit Jogiyanis pads in line of the stumps and get the breakthrough while Suyal,who came in for an ill Ashish Nehra,got Shitanshu Kotak and Jaydev Shah to nick behind in the space of three balls.

Cheteshwar Pujara,tactically safeguarded at number five,walked in after the crucial first hour to park himself. The run rate kept the tempo at five an over as the visitors went for lunch at 150 for 3 in 30 overs with Pathak at 75 and Pujara batting on 29.

Half-chances

Pathak reached his second century of the season in 112 balls with 15 boundaries and a clobbering over the mid-wicket fence to Rajat Bhatia. He survived a few half-chances as well while Pujara was steady in reaching his half-century from 99 balls. The 160-run fourth-wicket partnership ended three balls before tea,Pujara trapped leg-before for 83 by Bhatia.

Bhatias effective seam-ups accounted for a double strike when Pathak flashed outside off and was caught at gully by Kohli for 138.

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In the final session,Sangwan mopped the tail with three quick wickets while Mithun Manhas struck with his first ball of the second over to send back Ravindra Jadeja for 29. Saurashtra lost the last seven wickets for just 67 runs in 17.1 overs.

Brief scores: Saurashtra 328 in 72.3 overs (Chirag Pathak 138,Cheteshwar Pujara 83,Pradeep Sangwan three for 71); Delhi 22 for no loss in eight overs