Navdeep, Vikas sizzle as Delhi enter quarters

NEW DELHI: Navdeep Saini’s lionhearted effort complemented by Vikas Mishra’s disciplined bowling saw Delhi crush Maharashtra by an innings and 61 runs in a group A encounter to ensure quarter-final berth in the Ranji Trophy. Delhi now will play an inconsequential final away league encounter against Hyderabad having already ensured a last eight berth with 24 points from five games. The other team that is set to qualify from this group is Karnataka (23 from 4 games till today) as none of the remaining states have any mathematical chance whatsoever.

In reply to Delhi’s first innings score of 419, Maharashtra scored 99 and 259 in their two innings as the match ended on the third day.

Delhi got 12 wickets on the day, with Rahul Tripathi’s 78-ball-106 being the highlight of Maharashtra’s otherwise disastrous outing.

Saini bowled 18 overs in three spells to finish with 4 for 57 while Mishra had 4 for 90 in 25.3 overs.

Skipper Ishant Sharma also bowled at a brisk pace to chip in with 2 for 33 in 11 overs.

Starting the day at 59 for 8, Maharashtra batted for 10 overs adding another 40 runs before Mishra castled Chirag Khurana (29) for his only wicket in the first innings and Manan Sharma (2/22) then had last man Nikit Dhumal stumped by Rishabh Pant. Made to follow-on, Ishant got into the act straightaway trapping Murtaza Trunkwala (0) leg before.

Naushad Sheikh was trapped leg before by a Mishra arm- ball before Ankit Bawne (18) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (21) added 24 runs for the third wicket.

Saini bowling a fuller length on the off-middle channel consistently troubled the Maharashtra batsmen. Three of his four victims were bowled as the ball moved a shade either way after pitching on these occasions.