The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Jadeja props up Delhi innings

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Sunday, Jan 02, 2005

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Jadeja props up Delhi innings

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, JAN. 1. Mumbai was the port of call for the bigwigs of the Delhi and District Cricket Association on Saturday. Name them and they were all there at the Wankhede, barring Arun Jaitley, to bless and boost their cricketers engaged in the vital game of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group `A' league fixture against the home team. They might have as well been pleased by Ajay Jadeja's big blows at high noon when the batsmen who went before him ran out of ideas and allowed dot balls to be bowled for a little over half an hour.

Known for daring deeds, the Delhi captain gave a realistic chance of his team outwitting the home team for a place in the knock out with his typical effort of 93. A third century of the season for personal glory was far from his mind; he cut loose and played a variety of shots in his near three and half hour essay and took Delhi to 394, a total substantial enough to test Mumbai.

Enjoying his share of luck in the early part of his campaign, Jadeja looked formidable, delightful and fearsome. The quick dismissals of Aakash Chopra and Rajat Bhatia well within the first hour and to the shining ball were no less shattering.

Their departure not far (at 192) after Mithun Manhas' exit at nightfall on Friday threatened Delhi's progress to the semifinal. Usman Wilkin Mota and a part time seamer Bhavin Thakker tried every trick, bowling a couple of bouncers, wide deliveries to choke the run rate for six overs.

First blood

Mumbai drew first blood forcing an edge from Chopra whose four-and-half-hour tenure amply suggested his soft outlook towards Malvi and Mota who bowled with a big heart for 64 overs together. Mota playing his second match in seven weeks bowled Bhatia neck and crop.

Wicketkeeper Varun Kumar showed promise with a couple of attractive shots, but he perished to Mota and the Delhi scoreboard read 225 for six. Delhi's plight would have been worse at 211 had Vinayak Mane not dropped a sitter of Jadeja at first slip. He had earlier reprieved Bhatia in the same position.

The pitch held good for the entire day, but the effect of rolling did assist Malvi and Mota who bowled with energy and enthusiasm. Jadeja who had begun with a firm push down the ground for a four was fortunate that his awkward fending of a short ball from Mota brushed his bottom hand glove and landed where `fly slip' would have been.

Sarandeep Singh turned out to a tough nut to crack for Mumbai, and an able foil for Jadeja. The two put on 84 runs in 91 minutes and 25.2 overs before Mane brought off a spectacular catch at leg slip that removed Sarandeep.

The bowler most to suffer was off spinner Ramesh Powar, who for the first time in the season found the Delhi batsmen, prepared to come down the pitch and lift him with the spin and inside out. There was hardly an occasion when Manhas (on Friday), or Jadeja left their ground and defended; they cleared the ball over in the infield or well into the stands. Jadeja cleared Powar over the straight field twice. And after him Ashish Nehra who showed his batting adequacy for an hour and more thumped Powar for an on side six.

Delhi profited much with Sarandeep and Nehra supporting Jadeja who could have taken a century if he wanted, but looking at the time factor, he went hell for leather and perished, after hitting 12 fours and two sixes in his 141 ball 93. After a disappointing looking 225 for six, Delhi whiffed at a rosy 394. The Mumbai openers have reduced it by 32 runs after which the Delhi players returned to the dressing room a touch disappointed at not having made the breakthrough.

The scores:

Delhi — 1st innings: S. Dhawan c Jaffer b Malvi 13, G. Gambhir c Jaffer b Powar 27, Aakash Chopra c Samant b Malvi 51, M. Manhas c Samant b Malvi 74, R. Bhatia b Mota 11, A. Jadeja c Samant b Malvi 93, Varun Kumar c Samant b Mota 14, Sarandeep Singh c Mane b Mota 30, A. Nehra not out 41, R. Sanghvi c Mane b Kulkarni 13, A. Bhandari c Indulkar b Kulkarni 1, Extras (b1, lb 10, nb 8, w 2,) 21, Penalty 5,Total (in 150.2 overs) 394.

Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-45, 3-166, 4-192, 5-192, 6-225, 7-309, 8-333, 9-385

Mumbai bowling: Malvi 33-8-90-4, Mota 31.2-10-87-3, Powar 37-7-109-1, Kulkarni 34.2-8-67-2, Thakkar 4-2-6-0, Shetty 8.4-1-12-0, Mane 2-0-7-0.

Mumbai — 1st innings: V. Mane (batting) 14, W. Jaffer (batting) 15, Extras (nb3) 3, Total (for no loss in 12 overs) 32.

Delhi bowling: Nehra 5-1-8-0, Bhandari 3-0-15-0, Sarandeep 3-0-5-0, Sanghvi 1-0-4-0.

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