Last Update: January 05, 2023, 18:09 IST
Jaydev Unadkat (AP Image)
Yash Dhull’s side delayed the inevitable for a while before they fell to Yuvrajsinh Dodiya’s treachery.
Delhi suffered an innings and 214-run defeat at the hands of Saurashtra inside three days as the hosts earned a bonus point in their Ranji Trophy Group B match here on Thursday.
Saurashtra, led by pacer Jaydev Unadkat, finally declared at 574 for eight, forcing the hosts to bat again in a mammoth chase of 441.
Delhi’s spineless batting, which could manage just 133 runs in the first innings, came up with a slightly better performance in the second innings, but it was not enough given the enormity of the task.
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Yash Dhull’s side delayed the inevitable for a while before they fell to Yuvrajsinh Dodiya’s treachery. They managed to post 227 on Thursday, largely due to the efforts of top-order batsmen Ayush Badoni and Hrithik Shokeen, who contributed 40 and 51 respectively.
Dodiya emerged as the unlikely hero for Saurashtra as the 22-year-old off-spinner took his maiden five-for in just his second first-class game to decimate Delhi’s batting line-up.
Delhi are eyeing Ranji relegation after earning just two points from four matches so far. With three more rounds to go – and given the sorry state of the team – avoiding relegation will be a tall order for Dhull’s side.
Earlier on the third day, Saurashtra continued to pile on the runs with Unadkat taking his best first-class bowling figures of 8/39 in the first innings as well as setting his sights on a century.
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The skipper played an entertaining innings, continuing his overnight score of 24, after which he was dismissed for 70 off just 68 balls.
Delhi came in to bat in their second innings, already unfazed by the enormity of the task. Dhruv Shorey and Ayush Badoni gave the visitors a steady start – a 67-run partnership. But Delhi were dealt a double blow on 67 when both the openers departed and they found themselves in familiar territory again.
The visitors kept losing wickets regularly and Dodiya ended Delhi’s resistance in the 64th over of the innings.
Brief Scores: At Rajkot: Delhi 133 and 227 in 63.5 overs (Ayush Badoni 40, Hrithik Shokeen 51; Yuvrajsinh Dodiya 5/91) lost to Saurashtra 574 for 8 decl in 147.2 overs (Harvik Desai 107, Chirag Jani 75, Arpit Vasavada 152 no, Prerak Mankad 64, Jaydev Unadkat 70).
At Vizianagaram: Andhra 135 and 462 in 107.3 overs (Ricky Bhui 116, Karan Shinde 105n) vs Hyderabad 195 and 75 for 2.
At Ambi: Assam 275 and 65 for no loss in 35 overs vs Maharashtra 594 for 9 decl (Siddhesh Veer 106, Kedar Jadhav 283; Riyan Parag 4/165).
At Brabourne: Tamil Nadu 144 for 4 in 105 overs and 380 (Sai Sudarshan 68, Baba Indrajith 103, Pradosh Ranjan Paul 107n) vs Mumbai 481 in 106.4 overs.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)