Delhi chase stiff 327-run target

This was after opener Jiwanjot Singh (147) had laid the foundation scoring an impressive century on Monday.

It will be an interesting final day as Delhi will require to score 267 runs on the final day with only seven wickets in hand. Unmukt Chand (0) made a poor judgement as he didn’t offer a stroke to an inswinger from Sandeep Sharma.

Vaibhav Rawal (35) looked good during his hour-long stay before he was played on off Manpreet Gony. Mithun Manhas (0) had a poor match as he was bowled by an incoming delivery from seamer Jaskaran Singh.

Skipper Gautam Gambhir (22,71 balls,3×4) is battling it out in the middle with nightwatchman Ashish Nehra for company.

Virender Sehwag hasn’t yet come out but is expected to bat at the fall of the next wicket Wednesday morning.

It was day when Punjab batsmen totally dominated the proceedings with skipper Mandeep Singh playing an important role. While Jiwanjot played his defensive game chipping away with singles and odd boundaries,Mandeep started attacking the Delhi bowlers.

He took on their best bet Nehra (4/101) pulling him for a six over mid-wicket and then lofted Rajat Bhatia in the next over for boundary over mid-on. Mandeep’s 80 came off 113 balls with eight fours and a six. The fourth wicket partnership with Jiwanjot yielded 159 runs and it was the foundation for the big lead for Punjab.

Mandeep was unlucky when a delivery from Navdeep kept really low and he was trapped leg before.

In the post-lunch session,Gurkeerat Singh (24) and Jiwanjot were out in quick succession. Having played only 12 minutes short of seven hours,the right-hander was finally dismissed by Saini who induced an edge taken by ‘keeper Rahul Yadav.

Glovesman Gitansh who hit seven fours and Siddharth who had five boundaries to his cedit,added 41 for the ninth wicket as Punjab’s lead went past 300 runs.

Shivkumar’s four-for gives Andhra bonus point

Duvvarapu Shivkumar’s four-wicket haul helped Andhra bowl out Tripura for 86 in their second innings and set up a 10-wicket win to post their first victory of the season on the third day of their Group C Ranji Trophy match in Agartala on Tuesday.

Andhra also earned a bonus point for their efforts.

Medium-pacer Shivkumar took four wickets to run through Tripura,who had a 16-run first-innings lead.

Resuming on 20 for three,Tripura could add just 66 runs to their second innings total,leaving Andhra a fourth-innings chase of a mere 103 runs.

Andhra took 21.2 overs to achieve the target with the openers remaining unbeaten.

Srikar Bharat hit eight fours and two sixes in an unbeaten 70-ball 64,while Prasanth Kumar provided him good support,staying not out on a 58-ball 39.