Ranji Trophy: Kazi, Palkar mammoth stand gives Maharashtra 114-run lead on day two against Delhi

Riding on Azim Kazi (119 n.o., 260b, 12x4, 2x6) and Ashay Palkar’s (94 n.o., 240b, 11x4, 2x6) association of 211 runs, Maharashtra finished day two of the four-day game at 305 for seven.

REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE: With a sizeable lead of 114 runs, it will be interesting if Maharashtra continues to put Delhi under pressure. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES

The Delhi openers would have started shadow-practising when its pacers struck twice in the first hour to leave Maharashtra reeling at 94 for seven. Then came a record unbroken partnership between Azim Kazi and Ashay Palkar that not just bailed Maharashtra out of trouble but also frustrated the Delhi contingent to put Maharashtra firmly in control of the Ranji Trophy opening round.

Riding on Kazi (119 n.o., 260b, 12x4, 2x6) and Palkar’s (94 n.o., 240b, 11x4, 2x6) association of 211 runs - the highest eighth-wicket partnership for Maharashtra in the history of Ranji Trophy, overhauling Abhijeet Kale and Sachin Aradhye’s 198-run stand against Baroda in 1999-00 - Maharashtra finished day two of the four-day game at 305 for seven.

With a sizeable lead of 114 runs, it will be interesting if Maharashtra continues to put Delhi under pressure.

Unlike the first day’s play, when the pacers dominated in overcast conditions, it turned out to be a batters’ paradise as left-handed specialist batter Kazi and all-rounder Palkar made the most of the batting-friendly conditions.

Despite Maharashtra adding only 51 runs in 32.2 overs in the first session, the duo started opening up its shoulders once the pacers were tired and spinners had little help off the surface. Delhi was dealt with a severe jolt as debutant pacer Mayank Yadav pulled his hamstring half an hour into the second session and walked off.

It meant Delhi had to use part-timers Nitish Rana - who bowled a mix of medium-pace and off-spin - and Lalit Yadav much more than it would have liked. It made Kazi display his prowess on the off-side in plenty en route a third First-Class hundred.

Had Vaibhav Rawal not misjudged a top-edged heave on the midwicket fence by Kazi off left-arm spinner Vikas Mishra, Delhi could have clawed its way back into the game. But Rawal landed on the rope and caught the catch, thus helping Kazi’s score to jump from 53 to 59.

While Kazi continued to show his prowess, Palkar groomed in confidence and played his trademark cover-drive with finesse even after Delhi opted for the new ball immediately after it was due. He remained six runs shy of converting his second First-Class fifty into a maiden hundred.

SCORECARD

Delhi — 1st innings: 191.

Maharashtra — 1st innings: Pawan Shah c Rawat b Simarjeet 3, Siddhesh Veer c Rawat b Mayank 23, Kaushal Tambe c Dhull b Simarjeet 0, Rahul Tripathi c Lalit b Ishant 1, Naushad Shaikh c Himmat b Mayank 45, Satyajeet Bachhav (run out/ Dhull) 0, Azim Kazi (batting) 119, Saurabh Nawale lbw b Simarjeet 9, Ashay Palkar (batting) 94; Extras (b-4, lb-5): 9; Total (for five wkts., 28.2 overs): 80.

Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-13, 3-14, 4-73, 5-80, 6-83, 7-94.

Delhi bowling: Ishant 20-6-46-1, Simarjeet 31-9-58-3, Mayank 17.2-3-46-2, Mishra 23-1-75-0, Rana 14-3-48-0, Lalit 11.4-1-22-0.