Mohit Sharma strikes, but advantage Delhi on bowlers’ day out

Inexperience and inconsistency, the bane of Haryana’s batting woes, once again came to the fore.

Mohit Sharma, Ranji Trophy, Haryana, Cricket

Sharma’s hat-trick was not enough to garner a place in the World Cup squad. (Source: PTI)

The conditions on the second day of the Group B Ranji Trophy match between Haryana and Delhi at Lalhi was not different to the opening day. It was cold, windy and overcast, and the pitch looked as green as the outfield.

Delhi were resuming at 278/7 and Virender Sehwag, the overnight centurion, would have walked out with two thoughts in his mind. First, ward off the threat posed by Mohit Sharma & Co. on a lively track and second, shepherd the Delhi tail.

Mohit started the proceedings for Haryana and Sehwag took strike. The seamer bowled a short-pitched delivery, which Sehwag fended off uncomfortably. The second ball was another short delivery.

Mohit then followed it up with another short delivery, to which Sehwag tried to glide over slips, but edged it instead to keeper Nitin Saini. Sehwag was out without adding to his overnight tally. Haryana’s plan to bounce Sehwag out had worked.

The 24-year-old welcomed new man Parvinder Awana with another short pitched delivery. All Awana managed to do was scoop it to Joginder at mid-on.

Hat-trick man

Mohit then bowled Navdeep Saini to complete his hat-trick. Haryana had completed the formalities in five deliveries and more importantly no run was added to Delhi’s overnight tally. The seamer had finished with figures of 4 for 46 in 16.5 overs.

“My plan was to be aggressive right from the start and not let Sehwag dominate. He is a wonderful stroke-player, so I decided to bowl short to him and push him back,” he said.

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Sharma’s hat-trick was not enough to garner a place in the World Cup squad. He was, however, picked for the tri-series ODIs in Australia ahead of the World Cup. “Obviously, the conditions in Australia will be different and my job will be to stick to my basics. However, the immediate focus for me is the ongoing Ranji match,” he said.

After Sharma’s hat-trick, things looked upbeat for the home side. However, Delhi’s seam trio of Sumit Narwal, Awana and Navdeep Saini made life uncomfortable for Haryana on Lalhi’s green top. Together, they scalped six wickets to end the Haryana innings half an hour before the close of play on Day 2.

Inexperience and inconsistency, the bane of Haryana’s batting woes, once again came to the fore. Barring Himanshu Rana’s 80, no one had the intent or the gumption to play on this wicket.

After lunch, the sun came out and batting became relatively easier. The home side stitched a 56-run stand for the fifth wicket between Priyank Tehlan and Himanshu Rana. This was incidentally, the highest stand for Haryana.

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Brief Scores: First Innings: Delhi: 278 (V. Sehwag 147, M. Sharma 4/46); Haryana 188 (H. Rana 80, S. Narwal 3-43, V. Sood 3-20); Second Innings: Delhi 7/0.

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