New Delhi, Oct 25 (PTI) Openers Sanat Sangwan, Arpit Rana and vice-captain Yash Dhull scored contrasting fifties but failed to convert into hundreds as Delhi ended the opening day’s play against Himachal Pradesh on 306 for 4 in a Ranji Trophy group D clash here on Saturday.
While last match’s double centurion Sangwan (79 off 170 balls) was once again at his dogged best, his opening partner Arpit (64 off 110 balls), fighting for his place in the side, struck his maiden half century in the first session itself.
The best innings of the day was played by Dhull (61 off 66 balls) who hit as many as 11 attractive boundaries before Arpit Guleria got him with one pitched up delivery that moved a shade kissing the outside edge of his bat.
At stumps, the stockily built Ayush Doseja (51 batting) was set and looks good for a big one on a track that had little to offer for the bowlers. He looked solid in defence and assured while using his feet against slow bowlers.
The day started with southpaw Arpit attacking the HP bowlers even as Sangwan played his natural defensive game.
Arpit, whose previous best first class score is 28, was severe on KKR bowler Vaibhav Arora and Guleria with a flurry of boundaries.
Once he was dismissed, Dhull was ultra aggressive as he played a ramp shot at will along with back cuts, square cuts and some delectable cover drives.
In fact, after he hit four boundaries in quick time, HP skipper Ankush Bains spread the field and even kept fielder at long on.
During that phase even Sangwan used his feet to get a few easy boundaries off left-arm spinners.
Left-arm spinner Mukul Negi and Akssh Vasisht were trying to bowl the leg stump line with a 5-3 leg side field.
Finally when Dhull was dismissed, skipper Ayush Badoni (15) was guilty of playing a loose shot away from his body to a short of length delivery from Arora offering a regulation catch at first slip.
However once Badoni was gone, Sangwan was dismissed in a freak manner.
A delivery from seamer Divesh Sharma was dug in short but it hardly took off as Sangwan ducked with his bat held awkwardly. The nick was taken by Bains but Doseja and Sumit Mathur saw off the last 75 minutes without any further damage adding 71 runs for the fifth wicket.
Brief Scores: Delhi 306/4 (Arpit Rana 64, Sanat Sangwan 79, Yash Dhull 61, Ayush Doseja 51 batting; Divesh Sharma 2/42) vs HP. PTI KHS APA APA
Category: Breaking News
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