INDORE, Jan 20: Delhi batters once again floundered on a reasonably decent batting strip to be bowled out for 205 as Madhya Pradesh nullified the slender first innings lead of 34 with better batting effort in the second innings on the second day of the Ranji Trophy Group D encounter.
Starting the day at 86 for 2, Delhi batters could only survive a total of 67.5 overs but in the process managed to cross MP’s first innings total of 171.
However with two days left, first innings lead is of little consequence and Delhi will expect that the hosts don’t extend their lead beyond 175, which could be difficult to chase.
At stumps on Day 2, MP are 157 for 5 with an overall lead of 123 but with skipper and batting mainstay Shubham Sharma (79) back in the dug-out, the two new ball bowlers Himanshu Chauhan (2/31 in 10 overs) and Divij Mehra (2/41 in 11.1 overs) need to wrap it up quickly on third morning.
The problem for Delhi is their restrictive option Vikas Mishra, the left arm spinner, who has already gone for 40 in just 8 overs.
In the morning, MP pacers Aryan Pandey (3/54 in 18 overs) and Anubhav Agarwal (2/42 in 18 overs).
Once skipper Himmat Singh (25) was trapped leg before by Pandey and Dhull (47) failed to read away movement generated by Agarwal, none of the Delhi batters showed temperament to stick around and take the total past 250-run mark.
Ayush Badoni scored 41 and seemed he was playing for Lucknow Super Giants and just wanted to hit out of trouble rather than displaying application required to succeed in red ball games.
The last four wickets fell for 16 runs as Kumar Kartikeya quickly wrapped off the tail.
Brief Scores: MP 171 and 157/5 (Shubham Sharma 79, Aryan Pandey 3/54). Delhi 205 (Yash Dhull 47, Ayush Badoni 41, Aryan Pandey 3/54).
Puducherry lead by 151 runs
Gourav Yadav continued his good form with a six-wicket haul as Puducherry dismissed Uttarakhand for a paltry 123 on the second day of their group league match in Dehradun.
Having scored 204 in their first innings, Puducherry pacer Gourav, who took 10 wickets against Delhi, scalped 6 for 40 while spinner Sagar Udeshi got the other four as the hosts batted a little over 47 overs.
With 81-run first innings lead, Puducherry ended the second day at 70 for 3 with an overall lead of 151.
Brief Scores: Puducherry 204 and 70/3. Uttarakhand 123 (Aditya Tare 40, Gourav Yadav 6/40).
Baroda go for kill against HP
Baroda managed a commendable first innings score of 482 riding on a 345-run fifth wicket stand between Shaswat Rawat (207) and Shivalik Sharma (188) before reducing hosts Himachal Pradesh to 143 for 8 by the end of the second day’s play in Dharamsala.
Baroda are all set to take first innings lead but have enough time to enforce follow-on and try for bonus point.
Brief Scores: Baroda 482 (Shaswat Rawat 207, Shivalik Sharma 188, Vaibhav Arora 5/68). HP 143/8 (Atit Seth 3/43, Abhimanyusingh Rajput 4/39).
J&K close in on win
Jammu and Kashmir earned a vital first innings lead of 50 and then reduced Odisha to 126 for 7 in their second innings to close in on an outright victory at stumps on the second day in Cuttack.
Odisha are only 76 ahead with three wickets in hand.
In first innings, Odisha scored 130 while Jammu & Kashmir riding on Abid Mushtaq’s 50 scored 180 in their first essay.
Brief Scores: Odisha 130 and 126/7 (Rohit Sharma Junior 2/23).
Jammu and Kashmir 180 (Abid Mushtaq 50). PTI
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