Sport - Cricket

Delhi-Mumbai match drawn

— Photo: Vivek Bendre

SCINTILLATING SHOW: Gautam Gambhir was in brilliant form and notched up a century.

Mumbai: Mumbai and Delhi’s energy and enthusiasm diminished abruptly half-an-hour after the long interval on the fourth and final day as the Ranji Trophy Super League Group ‘A’ match ended in a draw at the Wankhede Stadium.

Clearly, Delhi was happy to have got the better of the host in the first innings and leave the city with three valuable points and Mumbai, too, appeared pleased to eke out one point. Two of the foremost teams in the National championship had competed for three-and-a-half days, demonstrating their strengths in splendid fashion, but agreeing to call off the match before the start of the mandatory overs was most disappointing.

Delhi’s score read 252 for three wickets with Gautam Gambhir on an unconquered 137 (378m, 278b, 14x4s, 1x6).

Looking to make 387 to outwit Mumbai, Delhi’s Aakash Chopra and Gambhir put on 188 for the opening wicket, adding 129 to the overnight score. Past masters in the art of choking the supply of runs, Mumbai’s seam attack in Avishkar Salvi, Ajit Agarkar and Abhishek Nayar rarely faltered in their outside-the-off-stump line, employed the short balls and gave no leeway to the openers to hit the boundary shots often. In a way it was a brilliant exhibition of seam bowling, but what really frustrated the home team was that its tactical acumen did not disturb the concentration of Chopra and Gambhir.

The left-right combination won the first session of two-and-a-half hours and 40 overs, with Chopra and Gambhir taking their individual and team scores further against the spinners, Ramesh Powar and Bhavesh Patel.

An edge from Chopra’s blade that raced to the fence between the wicketkeeper and first slip was the only note of blemish before lunch.

Delhi required 212 in two more sessions with 10 wickets in hand. Even as it appeared that the openers had settled down after lunch, Salvi and Nayar struck the big blows after which Delhi gave up the chase. Bowling one of his better spells, Salvi trapped Chopra (81, 218b, 10x4s, 1x6) plumb in front and immediately stunned skipper Virender Sehwag with a delivery that straightened and left him stranded at the crease and covering the stumps. Nayar then trapped Virat Kohli in front and, in a space of eleven balls, Delhi slumped from 188 without loss to 189 for three.

Gambhir on 99 allowed Agarkar to send down three maiden overs. In fact he was stuck on the score for 32 minutes and 23 balls before he notched up his 21st first class century, his second against Mumbai. The approach of the left-hander and Mithun Manhas after the fall of Kohli just about offered a clear-cut pointer that Delhi would not risk chasing a high fourth-innings target.

The scores: Mumbai — 1st innings: 166.

Delhi — 1st innings: 251.

Mumbai — 2nd innings: 471 for nine decl.

Delhi — 2nd innings: A. Chopra lbw b Salvi 81, G. Gambhir (not out) 137, V. Sehwag lbw b Salvi 0, V. Kohli lbw Nayar 0, M. Manhas (not out) 16; Extras (lb-5, nb-7, w-6) 18. Total (for three wkts. in 96 overs) 252.

Fall of wickets: 1-188, 2-188, 3-189.

Mumbai bowling: Salvi 17-4-31-2, Agarkar 14-7-16-0, Powar 26-4-77-0, Nayar 19-4-57-1, Patel 15-1-42-0, R. Sharma 3-0-6-0, Naik 2-0-18-0.

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