Manhas-Bhatia partnership steadies Delhi

Adorning one of the walls at the Roshanara Clubhouse is a framed copy of an impressionist painting,which seemed to...

Adorning one of the walls at the Roshanara Clubhouse is a framed copy of an impressionist painting,which seemed to come to life as the lights flickered on in the entrance hall.

Out on the field,the shadows lengthened over the pitch in arbitrary patterns as the sun became one with the smog,forcing the umpires to call stumps. Mithun Manhas walked back to the pavilion,bat held aloft,his unbeaten 168 ensuring that Delhi,keeping with the mood at the venue,had painted a pretty perfect picture of their own.

Flawless display

Manhas and Rajat Bhatia shared a flawless partnership of 256 runs,before Bhatia was dismissed for 99 in the penultimate over of the day.

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The hosts ended the day on 344 for four,and Maharashtras young team had been run ragged on the first day of this match.

The visiting skipper Harshad Khadiwale won the toss and elected to field on a wicket that had a bit in it for the fast bowlers. Delhi opener Aditya Jain was the first to go,caught behind by keeper Rohit Motwani off Jitendra Patil for 14.

Captain Virat Kohli followed soon after,edging left-arm seamer Samad Falla down third slip Sangram Atitkars throat. Kiran Adhav then forced Ankur Julka to play down the wrong line,cleaning up his stumps for 33 runs just before lunch.

From that point on though,it was all Delhi as the home side plundered the visiting bowlers as Manhas picked the gaps,Bhatia attacked,and the visitors watched helplessly.

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Manhas brought up his century off 182 deliveries and finished the day with 19 boundaries. Bhatias 160-ball 99 included nine boundaries and one six.

Brief scores: Delhi 344 for four in 90 overs (M Manhas batting 168,R Bhatia 99; S Falla 2/91) vs Maharashtra