Indore: Vidarbha inched closer to their maiden Ranji Trophy title after grabbing a commanding 233-run lead against a Delhi side that looked defeated for better part of the day, Sunday, as little-known Akshay Wadkar (133 batting, 243b, 16×4, 1×6) chose first class cricket’s biggest stage to compile his maiden century.
Playing in his fifth match of first season, wicket-keeper Wadkar rose to the occasion and remained unbeaten in a team total of 528 for seven at stumps on the third day here. In the final session, Siddhesh Neral (56 batting, 92b, 4×4, 4×6) entertained the crowd with a well-crafted half century.
Aditya Sarwate (79, 154b, 11×4), with whom Wadkar stitched a decisive 169 -run partnership for the seventh wicket.
Vidarbha, who resumed their innings at overnight 206 for four, capitalised on Delhi’s lack of discretion.
The seven-time winners looked shoddy on the field, dropped catches, including a crucial one off the blade of seasoned Wasim Jaffer (78, 150b, 11×4) at the start of day. Rishabh Pant lacked ideas as the skipper of the side.
But Delhi may have paid dearly for the miss by Kunal Chandela in second slip in fourth ball of the day’s first over. Running in hard and hitting the deck harder, a charged up Navdeep Saini (3/126) had induced an edge from Jaffer but Chandela, who dived to his left ahead of first slip fielder Dhruv Shorey, spilled the offer.
Manan ruled out
Indore: If the day-long toil in the field was not enough, injury worries to key players Gautam Gambhir, Navdeep Saini and Manan Sharma further compounded Delhi’s misery in the Ranji Trophy final. According to coach K P Bhaskar, left-arm spinner Manan will not be a part of the match anymore owing to a knee injury.
Brief scores
Delhi 295; Vidarbha 528/7 (Akshay Wadkar 133 batting, Aditya Sarwate 79, Siddhesh Neral 56 batting; Navdeep Saini 3/126). Match to continue.
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