Wadkar maiden ton puts Vidarbha in driver’s seat vs hapless Delhi
INDORE: First-time finalists Vidarbha continued to pile on the misery on former champions Delhi on the third day of the Ranji Trophy final.
After pace bowler Rajneesh Gurbani’s hat-trick-pegged Delhi back on the second morning, Akshay Wadkar struck his maiden century, further demoralising the Delhi bowlers at the Holkar Stadium on Sunday.
Vida rb ha were a commanding 528/7 at stumps, having built a 233- run lead going into the pen ultimate day of the title clash. Delhi’s dispirited bowlers managed to take just three wickets in 89 overs on Sunday, conceding 322 runs.
Wadkar, a 23-year-old wicketkeeper playing his fifth first-class game, soaked the pressure and virtually batted Delhi out of the game with hi sun beaten 133 (16x 4, 1x6).
“I was waiting for this opportunity. This knock has given me a lot of confidence. Initially, it was a bit difficult but once I got set, it all went pretty well ,” W ad kart old reporters after the day’s play.
Resuming at 206/4 – still 89 behind Delhi’ s first innings 295 all out–senior pro Wasim Jaf fe rw as given a life in the first over of the day when Kunal Chandela dropped the Vida rb ha No 3 at second slip off Navdeep Saini.
The pace bowler continued to hit the right areas and finally gave Delhi the first breakthrough of the day, removing Akshay Wakhare for 17, edging to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
Jaffer, 39, who looked set for a big one, became Saini’s next victim, reducing Vidarbha to 246/6 and raising Delhi’s hopes. The former India opener scored 78 (11x4).
But Aditya Sarwate and wicket-keeper W ad kartookove rand continued to pile on the runs, helping Vidarbha take the lead before lunch.
The duo counter-attacked with a 169-run partnership, Vidarbha’s highest for the seventh wicket this season. Sarwate was dismissed for 79 when he nicked part-time spinner Nitish Rana to Rishabh Pant.
However, that didn’t stop Vidarbha’s flow of runs as Wadkar and Siddesh Neral took full advantage of the jaded fielding unit, putting on an unbeaten 113run stand. Neral, who hit his maiden fifty, was 56 not out.
Vidarbha’s cause was helped by poor catching behind the stumps. Former captain Gautam Gambhir, who didn’t field after lunch due to a thumb injury, dropped Sarwate at first slip.
Delhi coach KP Bhaskar though allayed fears over Ga mb- hir’s injury, saying “no major concern, he’ll be fit to bat.”
Pant also missed an easy stumping of Sarwate. Wadkar was twice dropped at short leg while Neral was reprieved twice when left-arm pace bowler Kulwant Khejroliya overstepped twice. Things got worse for Delhi as N av deep, who bowled 8.5 overs in the morning, could bowl just seven in the next two sessions due to cramp. Brief scores: Delhi 1st inngs 295 vs Vidarbha 1st inngs 528/7 (A Wadkar 133 batting, A Sarwate 79, W Jaffer 78, F Fazal 67, SN er al 56 batting; NS ai ni 3/126, A Sudan 2/102)