Saurashtra poise for first victory in Super League Ranji tourney

Rajkot, Dec 27 (UNI) Hosts Saurashtra sniff their first Super League win after inflicting the ignominy of a follow-on on Delhi and then reducing the visitors to 84 for four in their second innings on the penultimate day of the Ranji match here today.

Delhi's batsmen caved in against the incisive bowling by the Saurashtra's bowlers, after they started their first innings at the overnight score of 61 for three.

They were dismissed for 288 in the first innings and are on the verge of defeat.

Gaining a vital lead of 204 runs, the hosts asked the visitors to follow-on and Delhi batsmen found themselves in morass again. They still require 120 runs to avoid an innings defeat with six wickets in tact.

Saurashtra, who have yet to get point, are likely to get their first victory over Delhi and have a chance to garner four or five points from this match. And with the pitch assisting the spinners, it is an upheal task for the Delhi's batsmen to save the match, as their star-studded batsmen were sent back to the pavilion.

The pick of the strike bowler was left-arm spinner Rakesh Dhruv, who grabbed four wickets for 81 runs in the first innings while other spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Shitanshu Kottak shared two wickets each.

For Delhi, Shikhar Dhwan played sensible innings and scored 80 runs with the help of 12 fours. Another noteable contribution came from Rajat Bhatia (71) in which he smashed one mighty six and execucted well timed eight boundaries.

Ashish Nehra, the speedster, also has useful contribution of 43 runs in which he executed two mighty sixes and four boundaries while facing 74 balls.

The visitors had a dismal start in the second innings. Medium pacer Sandip Jobanputra struck in eighth over and bowled out Akash Chopra for his individual score of six.

Dhawan, who had made 80 in first innings, did not last long and was trapped lbw off left arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja. He made 22 runs. Puneet Bisht also went cheaply after scoring 27 runs. Rakesh Dhruv had taken his wicket.

At stumps, skipper Mithun Manhas and Viraat Kohli were batting with four and two runs respectively.

Brief score: Saurashtra Ist Innings: all out for 492.

Delhi's Ist innings: all out for 288 in 74.2 overs (S Dhawan 80, M Manahs 35, Rajat Bhatia 71, Ashish Nehra 43 R Dhruve 4 for 81, R Jadeja 2 for 80, S Kotak 2 for 15).

Delhi's 2nd Innings: 84 for 4 (S Dhawan 22, P Bisht 27, Mayank Tehlan 18, S Jobanputra 1 for 18, R Jadeja 1 for 11, R Dhruve 1 for 29, K Makwana 1 for 11) UNI AV SSS AY PM2004