Right-handed opener Jyotsnil Singh hit a patient hundred on a placid track and guided Baroda to 202 for one against hosts Delhi on a truncated opening day of a Group D Ranji Trophy match in New Delhi. (More Cricket News)
The first session witnessed a solitary over being bowled but Singh (124 batting, 207 balls) and Shashwat Rawat (71 batting, 168 balls) added 199 runs for an unbroken second wicket at the Airforce Stadium in Palam where the ball hardly went the above knee roll for the better part of 64 overs.
Delhi skipper Himmat Singh's apprehensions about batting first after winning the toss was because of the overcast conditions and a slight bit of dampness. The track has historically been a batting paradise.
Once Ishant Sharma (1/30 in 12 overs) got rid of opener Kinit Patel (2), Delhi bowlers hardly made any impact on a benign surface where a batter needed to make a mistake in order to get out.
Singh struck 18 fours and two sixes -- the second bringing up his hundred as he smashed off spinner Hrithik Shokeen over deep mid wicket.
It was a frustrating day for Delhi pacers and the normally nippy Himansu Chauhan (1/26 in 12 overs) bowled an effort ball, digging it in short but it became a slow bouncer as he gestured to the skipper that there is no pace off the surface.
Around six years ago, Ishant, who was trying to make a comeback to the Indian team, had breathed fire on this same belter against Maharashtra. Now in his mid 30s, he pitched the ball in right areas, but the pace off the surface has reduced considerably and a slow and low deck made matters worse.
Delhi's seam bowling all-rounder Pranshu Vijayaran (0/33 in 10 overs) and left-arm spinner Shivank Vashist (0/40 in 10 overs) were below par and the two Baroda batters milked the duo with ease.
Shivank either bowled overpitched deliveries or half trackers, allowing Singh and Rawat to make merry.
It will be a match of one innings and Delhi's batters might find it difficult to get three points if the chase is more than 375.
Brief Scores: Baroda 1st Innings 202/1 in 64 overs (Jyotsnil Singh 124 batting, Shashwat Rawat 71 batting, Ishant Sharma 1/30) vs Delhi.
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Odisha Score 230/4 Vs Puducherry
In another Group D game, Odisha scored 230 for four against Puducherry. Govinda Poddar remained unbeaten on 80 while Gourav Yadav got a couple of wickets.
Brief Scores: Odisha 1st Innings 230/4 in 87 overs (Govinda Poddar 80 batting, Gaurav Yadav 2/64). Vs Puducherry.
MP Score 68/4 After HP Reach 169
In Dharamsala, hosts Himachal Pradesh were bowled out for 169 in 54.3 overs against Madhya Pradesh, who ended the day precariously placed at 68 for four.
Brief Scores: HP 1st Innings 169 in 54.3 overs (Rishi Dhawan 50, Venkatesh Iyer 3/28). MP 1st Innings 68/4 in 27 overs (Yash Dubey 37, Vaibhav Arora 2/24).
Vivrant Scores 78 In J&K's 168/2 Vs Uttarakhand
Vivrant Sharma remained unbeaten on 78 while Shubham Khajuria chipped in 58 as Jammu and Kashmir scored 168 for two against Uttarakhand in another group league game in Jammu.
Brief Scores: Jammu and Kashmir 1st Innings 168 for 2 in 39 overs (Vivrant Sharma 78 batting, Deepak Dhapola 2/50) vs Uttarakhand.
