As light fades Delhi record outright win over Rajasthan

Delhi who looked like they were running out of ideas. But the end eventually came for Rajasthan.

As the ninth Rajasthan wicket stood resolute on the crease for 20 overs post tea, everyone at Kotla thought that the visitors would survive and Delhi would miss the chance to record their second straight outright win. But for that defiant stand of 34 between opener Sidharth Saraf and tail-ender Shailendra Gehlot, Delhi would have have had an easy romp on the final day of their Ranji game at the Ferozshah Kotla ground. But their rearguard action would eventually fall short. With the light fading it was off spinner Shivam Sharma who would dismiss Saraf for 88. An over later Sharma would dismiss Gehlot as Delhi emerged winners by an innings and seven runs.

Rajasthan had begun the final day at 78/2 still needing another 168 runs to make Delhi bat again. The more important equation wasn’t of runs but simply of time after eighty minutes had been lost in the morning session. If the visitors could bat out the day, they would at least go into their next game with a point in the bag.

The day, however, started poorly for them. Young pacer Navdeep Saini would strike a double blow in just his second over of the day. Ashok Menaria was trapped in front for 19 while Rajesh Bishnoi edged his first ball to the keeper.

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New man Arjit Gupta was welcomed with an umbrella field. Saini almost had a third wicket when he got Gupta to edge but the nick fell short of Virender Sehwag at first slip.

That initial jitter apart, Gupta steadily grew in confidence.As the partnership with Saraf steadily grew the post lunch session would initially be one of toil for the hosts. While Saraf batted dourly, it was exactly what Rajasthan needed.

As the pacers were ground down, Gambhir had to bring on his spinners. A break in concentration would snap the 79 run stand and initiate another Rajasthan collapse. Shivam Sharma bowled Gupta for 37 and at 167/5 Delhi would have felt they were close to the outright win. From the other end Varun Sood picked up another couple of wickets and Rajasthan were seven down for 186.

Their spinners having done their bit, Gambhir brought back his pacers for the kill. Saini returned in the 76th over and inthe second over of his spell had Deepak Chahar nicking a delivery that moved away from the middle stump.

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But just when Delhi were preparing for an early finish Rajasthan would battle to change the script. While Saraf was fighting from one end, credit goes to Shailender Gehlot who stood firm at the other. Delhi took the new ball but nothing could ruffle Gehlot. Before Sharma surprised Saraf with an orthodox off-spinner that pitched at middle and clipped his off-stump, it was Delhi who looked like they were running out of ideas. But the end eventually came.

Now, with time on Delhi’s side and Rajasthan playing to save the only wicket, Gehlot looked to disperse the field with big shots. Sound in concept, Gehlot failed in the execution of his plan and his mistimed lift towards midwicket saw Rajat Bhatia pouching a simple catch.

Brief Scores: Rajasthan 141 and 232 (Siddharth Saraf 88, Arjit Gupta 37; Navdeep Saini 4-48); Delhi 380/6 declared (Unmukt Chand 146, Viren)

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