Dravid makes the difference for Karnataka

It was a better response the second time around from Delhi,as the batsmen seemed clearer on whether to lean forward or rock back,on which balls to touch and which to leave alone....

It was a better response the second time around from Delhi,as the batsmen seemed clearer on whether to lean forward or rock back,on which balls to touch and which to leave alone. The final shape of their effort,however,will be gauged in the second half of the match as the hosts ended Day Two losing three points but still with a chance of not conceding all five in their Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka on Friday.

Delhi were 93 for two in their second innings at stumps on Wednesday,13 runs behind,with Shikhar Dhawan on 43 and Rajat Bhatia 28. Rahul Dravid was largely the difference between the two teams midway through the match,though it was eventually the 47-run last-wicket partnership between Abhimanyu Mithun and S Aravind that helped the first-innings lead swell to 106 as Karnataka were bowled out for 260.

Stepping out with vigour,Dravid used his trademark pull shot sending the rising ball past the square-leg boundary off the second ball he faced to make a quick addition to his overnight 33. He raced past his half-century in 87 balls,with six boundaries. Against the seamers he showed precise footwork and hit some rasping straight drives.

Paceman Sumit Narwal helped restore parity by dismissing KB Pawan caught behind in the 21st delivery of the morning. Narwal got the ball to dart both ways over a nine-over spell that fetched him three wickets. Dravid saw his team stumble past Delhis first-innings score of 154,but was dismissed soon after,miffed at a momentary lapse of concentration when Parvinder Awana followed up a bouncer with a delivery that moved away.

Dravids innings of 78 had put Karnataka in control but his departure an hour before lunch kept Delhi in the game with the visitors 187 for seven after the first session.

Debutant Pawan Suyal impressed with his pace and his ability to bowl long spells,sending back Vinay Kumar and Sunil Joshi. Mithun and Aravind,however,put on an enterprising stand carrying on despite taking a hit each on their neck and shoulder before the second new ball ended their resistance.

Suyal finished with memorable figures of four for 67 and Narwal had four for 71. The Delhi batting did suffer from initial jitters when skipper Aakash Chopra was adjudged lbw and Gaurav Chabbra caught at slip. But Dhawan and Bhatia settled down with some straight drives and horizontal bat shots.

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Brief scores: Delhi 154 amp; 93 for 2 in 31 overs S Dhawan batting 43; Vinay Kumar 1/22,Aravind 1/12; Karnataka 1st innings 260 all out in 80.2 overs R Dravid 78,A Mithun not out 39; Narwal 4/71,Suyal 4/67