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Dhoni flays the Delhi attack

Nandakumar Marar

Chetanya Nanda impresses with a five-wicket haul

— Photo: PTI

A LOT TO SMILE ABOUT: Chetanya Nanda (right), who finished with five wickets, gets a pat from Virat Kohli after sending back Rahul Dravid.

VADODARA: Anil Kumble had referred to individual targets apart from the team objective for his Rest of India mates in the Irani Cup. And M.S. Dhoni got his planning and execution right, spending quality time at the crease against a limited Delhi attack on the third day at the Reliance Stadium here on Friday.

For Delhi, the persistent Chetanya Nanda (five for 48) and the pacy Ishant Sharma (three for 52) stood out.

Dhoni dominated the bowling with a blend of enterprise and intelligence in the course of an entertaining 84 off 113 balls, a major chunk in Rest’s second innings total of 302.

A hard-earned 69 off 211 balls from Rahul Dravid helped Kumble’s squad set an imposing 378-run target. Zaheer Khan trapped Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli leg-before as Rest inched closer to its skipper’s objective of winning the Irani Cup. Delhi finished the day at 113 for three with Gautam Gambhir unbeaten on 51.

Dhoni’s bold batting earlier in the day stood out on a track where the ball stayed low. Ishant and Nehra were tough to tackle due to swing on a cloudy morning and the wind blowing across the ground later in the day.

The Rest of India vice-captain, well aware of the expectations in the build-up matches prior to the Australia series, sized up the situation quickly.

On the offensive

Dhoni stepped out against spin, adjusting his footwork to repeatedly reverse-sweep Sehwag to the ropes. He also found Nanda’s leg-spin inviting enough and cracked a straight six over the sightscreen while rushing to a 68-ball half-century.

Dhoni continued the offensive against the fast bowlers, hitting 12 fours and a six before scooping a catch to slip off Ishant.

In the morning, Dravid and Badrinath struggled to counter Nehra’s swing and the former was fortunate twice as the edges fell short of the fielders. Ishant, hustling the batsmen with pace, struck a double blow in one over to jolt Rest. Badrinath was hit on the elbow as the ball rolled on to the stumps and Kaif was undone by one which swung away.

Dravid’s distinction

V.V.S. Laxman, seemingly unaffected by this phase of bowler domination, leaned into trademark cover drives and infused confidence in Dravid. A cracking straight drive got the latter his 100th first-class 50, compiled cautiously over 245 minutes and 173 balls.

Nanda’s patience paid off when Laxman played against the spin to a ball tossed on the off-stump, while Dravid shaped to play the cut but was beaten by the bounce. Kumble fell to the Delhi spinner sweeping against the line and Harbhajan swatted into mid-wicket’s hands.

R.P. Singh was Nanda’s fifth victim as he returned with a match haul of eight wickets, a creditable display.

The scores:

Rest — 1st innings: 252.

Delhi — 1st innings: 177.

Rest — 2nd innings: W. Jaffer c Chopra b Sangwan 21, R. Dravid c Chopra b Nanda 69, S. Badrinath b Ishant 36, Mohd. Kaif c Bisht b Ishant 0, V.V.S. Laxman c sub (Tehlan) b Nanda 18, M.S. Dhoni c Kohli b Ishant 84, A. Kumble lbw b Nanda 9, Harbhajan c Manhas b Nanda 0, Zaheer b Nehra 4, R.P. Singh lbw b Nanda 24, Munaf (not out) 1; Extras (b-12, lb-13, nb-11): 36; Total (in 92.5 overs): 302.

Fall of wickets: 1-44, 2-111, 3-111, 4-152, 5-207, 6-241, 7-241, 8-261, 9-277.

Delhi bowling: Nehra 20-1-84-1, Ishant 21-7-52-3, Nanda 26.5-8-48-5, Sangwan 11-0-35-1, Sehwag 12-2-55-0, Bhatia 2-0-3-0.

Delhi — 2nd innings: G. Gambhir (batting) 51, V. Sehwag lbw b Zaheer 3, V. Kohli lbw b Zaheer 16, R. Bhatia c Dhoni b Harbhajan 31; Extras (b-1, lb-9, nb-2): 12; Total (for three wkts. in 31 overs): 113.

Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-37, 3-113.

Rest bowling: Zaheer 8-0-18-2, R.P. Singh 8-0-37-0, Munaf 6-1-23-0, Kumble 5-1-14-0, Harbhajan 4-2-11-1.

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