Tiwary misses ton, Delhi-Bengal tie ends tamely

NEW DELHI: Before the match petered out to a draw on the final day, Sunday’s play in the Ranji Trophy Group A tie held interest around the performances of a few Delhi young guns and whether Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary would get his hundred. For a Delhi team leading the points table despite a shaky middle-order, this was going to be the big test.

Bengal had built on their overnight lead and were chugging along in the morning. They took the entire first session and came back to bat for a while. Tiwary fell three short of a century and then declared.

Delhi sent in young Rishabh Pant up the order to open with Unmukt Chand with skipper Gautam Gambhir holding himself back. And wicketkeeper Pant, who will miss the next match as he has to leave for the trial games for the U-19 World Cup, obliged in style.

While Chand was dismissed early, Pant went on the attack and together with young Nitish Rana took his team to safety.

His opposite number, the India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, has called him an interesting prospect and that aspect was on display. He jumped out of the crease to hammer the bowlers, scoring a 71-ball 57, which included three sixes and two fours. Rana looked in complete control and notched up another 40-odd as the fancied Bengal bowling line-up struggled to get past the duo. When they managed, it was too late to force a win.

Delhi have recalled veteran Puneet Bisht for the next match after Gambhir insisted on him. The selectors had been discussing other options as well. They have brought in left-arm spinner Pawan Negi, and with Chand to leave on Board President’s XI duty, left-hander Mohit Sharma finds his way back.