Continuing with splendid form, Ganesh Satish scored his 14th first-class century and third of the season to enable Vidarbha set a target of 347 before Delhi in their Ranji Trophy match at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground here.
Ahead by 16 runs in the first innings, Vidarbha launched a calculated assault on Delhi’s Ishant Sharma-less attack and declared at 330 for three.
When Delhi began the run-chase in fading light, the light-metre showed a reading of less than 3.9 thereby forcing Vidarbha to either press its spinners into service or let play be called off immediately. As a result of two overs of spin, Delhi openers escaped unscathed at 10 without loss.
With 337 more runs required to win on Wednesday, Delhi will have to deal with fresh Vidarbha pacers for the better part of first session.
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Thereafter, depending on the number of wickets in hand, it will have to choose whether to take risks and have a ‘go’ the target or play it safe.
With Delhi’s batting failing quite consistently this season, Vidarbha has every reason to be optimistic of gaining six points. More over, with Ishant out of the match following a ligament tear suffered on his right ankle on Monday, Vidarbha needs one wicket less to win.
Tuesday’s proceedings began 45 minutes late due to poor light. Thereafter, Vidarbha’s top-order was among the runs with all five batsmen on view touching the 40-run mark.
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Skipper Faiz Fazal and S. R. Ramaswamy denied Delhi any early breakthrough. After Fazal missed his half-century following a strokeful 43, Ramaswamy made a sedate 57, Veteran Wasim Jaffer looked in fine nick during his controlled knock of 40. It was Jaffer’s dismissal, at 182, that signalled what turned out to be Vidarbha’s best phase of the day.
Ganesh Satish (100 out out, 92b, 11x4, 2x6) and Akshay Wadkar (70 not out, 82b, 7x4) accelerated the run-rate and raised unfinished 148 runs for the fourth wicket in 23.3 off a tiring and deflated Delhi attack.
The declaration came the moment Ganesh Satish completed his third century this season, to go with 237 scored against Andhra and 145 against Punjab.
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