Ranji Trophy: Parmar's unbeaten ton keeps Saurashtra afloat

Kishan Parmar made amends for a poor first innings show with a stylish, stroke-filled, unbeaten 141, tackling an experienced attack with ease. Saurashtra leads by 89 with five wickets left.

Sheldon Jackson was involved in a 94-run stand with Kishan Parmar.

Delhi preferred to play the waiting game, buoyed by a 145-run first innings lead, against Saurashtra on day two group B contest at the Reliance stadium. Bowlers plugged away, waiting for blunders from batsmen on a track offering assistance in the cool first hour before easing out. Pacers Navdeep Saini and Nitish Rana claimed two wickets apiece to curb the opponent.

Saurashtra responded with 234 for five in the second innings and is battling hard to keep its hopes alive. Kishan Parmar was defiant. He made amends for a poor first innings show with a stylish, stroke-filled, unbeaten 141, tackling an experienced attack with ease. A rasping slash to the point boundary was the shot of the day and teammates burst into cheers as he notched up a 137-ball century. Strong on the front foot, he ran hard all day long.

Arprit Vasavada kept in step (25 not out). Delhi tried seven bowlers in vain to break the sixth wicket stand. Parmar and Vasavada occupied the crease for 144 minutes, putting on 104 runs. Saurashtra lead by 89 runs with five wickets in hand.

In the morning, Pradeep Sangwan's 100-ball 75 took Delhi to 237 and gave it a 145-run lead. The number nine clubbed seven fours and four sixes in his two-hour stay. Kaushang Patel dismissed Pulkit Narang for a hard-earned five-wicket haul.

Saini, steaming in, struck an early double blow for Delhi. Snell Patel edged a ball swinging away to Milind Kumar at third slip, who stretched out his left hand to catch after a little tumble.

Gambhir's hopes of another wicket were foiled by a third-wicket 104-run stand between Parmar and Jackson.

Parmar’s attacking mindset was clear from the first over, as he swivelled to deposit a short-pitched ball to the square-leg fence, then stepped back to steer a rising ball past point. Sangwan dropped a catch at fine leg to hand the opener a life at 32.

Then wicket-keeper Rishab Pant messed up Jackson's stumping off Manan Sharma, allowing him to play 114 balls for 40 runs. The Delhi skipper reacted in time for a low catch and sent back opposite number Jaydev Shah off Nitish Rana.