Two close for comfort

Madhya Pradesh were 86 for 6 overnight and Delhis first innings total of 158 was within reach,at least that is what the hosts would have believed

Madhya Pradesh were 86 for 6 overnight and Delhis first innings total of 158 was within reach,at least that is what the hosts would have believed. However,it took the medium-pace bowling pair of Ashish Nehra and Parvinder Awana just 69 minutes to bowl out Madhya Pradesh and give their team a narrow but vital two-run lead on a wicket that has been rather unpredictable.

Jalaj Saxena,the opening batsmen,who was tactically kept down the order,made it an interesting chase with a quickfire 31 from 29 balls with six boundaries. Ishwar Pandey scored only boundaries in his 16 as Madhya Pradesh inched closer to the Delhi total.

Awana trapped Saxena LBW and T Sudhindra was run out while attemping a second run. Nehra then removed Amit Sharma as Madhya Pradesh were bowled out in 37.1 overs.

Delhis batting performance in the second innings was much better than their show in the first. Mithun Manhas had promised his son that he would score a century in this game. The Delhi skipper came close to keeping his word but fell three runs short at Emerald Heights campus on Wednesday.

Manhas has now become the most decorated member of nervous 90s club having being dismissed 18 times between 90 and 99. Yogesh Nagar curbed his natural instincts and played out a patient and watchful 35 from 102 balls,a knock that included just one four.

India openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir,playing the fourth One-day International at the same city,watched the match after Team Indias practice. Delhi opener Shikhar Dhawan made 30 but was deceived by a ball that kept low and crashed into his stumps. After Shikhars exit,Manhas blossomed with three crucial partnerships 44,50 and 60 with Punit Bisht,Rajat Bhatia and Nagar. Bhatia and Bisht batted with a lot of heart and took painful blows on their fingers and arms.

Manhas played with soft hands. He was quick to reach his half-century,from just 57 balls with eight boundaries and never hesitated to use his feet against the spinners. He also rotated the strike to frustrate the MP bowlers. Manhas was dismissed in a tame fashion trying to cut a delivery from leg-spinner Asif Ali only to be caught at first slip. Milind Kumar was dismissed LBW as Asifs two wickets in two overs saw Delhi fall from 198 for 4 to 200 for 6.

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Brief scores: Delhi 158 amp; 238/7 Mithun Manhas 97,Shikhar Dhawan 30,Yogesh Nagar batting 35; T Sudhindra 3/35,Ishwar Pandey 2/60 vs MP 156 Naman Ojha 39,Jalaj Saxena 31; Ashish Nehra 3/72,Parvinder Awana 3/51.