Indore: Displaying steely resolve, Dhruv Shorey (123 batting, 256b, 17×4) stood out with an unbeaten century and steered Delhi to 271 for six, after maiden finalists Vidarbha had looked like running away with the game on day one of the Ranji Trophy final here, Friday.
The century was Shorey’s third, and undoubtedly the most important, knock of his first class career as riding on his knock Delhi recovered from a precarious 99 for four to end the day on a better footing.
The 25-year-old Shorey, who walked into bat in the very first over of the match after Kunal Chandela was dismissed by Aditya Thakare (2/65), survived testing opening spells by the Vidarbha seamers before opening up himself at the Holkar Stadium.
Shorey added 105 runs for the fifth wicket with Himmat Singh (66. 72b, 8×4, 2×6), who batted fluently before being sent back to the hut by a debatable decision.
Put into bat by Vidarbha, seven-time champions Delhi lost the top order quickly. Gautam Gambhir (15), Nitish Rana (21) and Rishabh Pant (21) got starts but failed to convert.
Himmat was going great guns, hoisting left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate over long-on and long-off for sixes and punishing pacer Rajneesh Gurbani (2/44) for three boundaries in an over, before a debatable caught behind decision cut short his stay in the middle.
Brief scores: Delhi 271 for 6 (Dhruv Shorey 123 batting, Himmat Singh 66, Rajesh Gurbani 2/44, Aditya Thakare 2/65) vs Vidarbha. Match to continue.
Press trust of India
