NEW DELHI: Centurion Mayank Tehlan and skipper Mithun Manhas made sure there was no comeback for Baroda and kept alive Delhi's hopes of a favourable verdict over the next two days of the Ranji Trophy Super League match at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground here on Sunday.

The duo raised 135 runs for the third wicket before Delhi overhauled Baroda's first innings total of 244 and finished the second day at 256 for three. For the second successive day, 10 overs were lost when bad light forced an early end.

Since not more than 80 overs are being bowled on each day, time is going to be a major factor in the remainder of this contest.

If Delhi is in a position to call the shots, it is mainly due to the Tehlan's unconquered 108 studded with 15 boundaries. This 20-year-old, who scored 176 on debut against Maharashtra last season, came into the playing squad only after opener Gautam Gambhir's recall to the National team.

Tehlan, on this day, resisted the temptation to play to the galleries. He cut out all the frills which have led to his downfall in the past and built an innings that promises to go a long way in firming up his place in the side. Fortune did favour this youngster when, on 79, Ajit Bhoite was a wee bit slow in accepting the offering at second slip off left-arm spinner Rajesh Pawar.

The escape

This escape came at 215 for three, just three runs after Manhas fell to Pawar following a catch at silly point. In the given situation, Manhas had reasons to rue missing a big hundred.

In the 154-minute period, during which Manhas hit 10 boundaries and guided young Tehlan, Baroda's frustration grew and reflected on the bowlers, who took refuge by bowling a negative line. Barring Pawar and the experienced medium pacer Rakesh Patel, Baroda bowlers were made to look most ordinary.

It was indeed in the fitness of things that Tehlan completed his century and helped Delhi surpass Baroda's tally with a cover-driven boundary off Yusuf Pathan. In fact, it was the second of the three successive boundaries that Tehlan smashed in the off-spinner's eighth over.

The scores: Baroda — 1st innings: 244.

Delhi — 1st innings: Aakash Chopra c Shah b Irfan 9, Shikhar Dhawan c Yusuf b Pawar 40, Mayank Tehlan (batting) 108, Mithun Manhas c (sub.) Irshad Sindhi b Pawar 70, Virat Kohli (batting) 11, Extras (b-8, lb-2, nb-8) 18, Total (for three wickets in 80 overs) 256.

Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-77, 3-212.

Baroda bowling: Rakesh Patel 22-2-79-0, Irfan Pathan 17-4-30-1, Ketan Panchal 7-1-23-0, Rajesh Pawar 25-6-61-2, Yusuf Pathan 8-0-48-0, Ajit Bhoite 1-0-5-0.

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