Sumit Mathur’s batting heroics coupled with pacers brilliant performance powered Delhi to a comprehensive 10-wicket win over Assam in their Ranji Trophy Group A match to notch up their first victory of the season here on Tuesday.
Courtesy left-handed batter Mathur’s 112 off 230 balls, Delhi posted 454 in reply to Assam’s first innings total of 330, and reduced the visitors to 44 for 3 in their second essay on Monday.
On the fourth and final day, Assam were bowled out for 182 in 42 overs with the Delhi pacers doing their job to perfection. The pacers accounted for eight Assam batters in their second innings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Just after the start of the day, Assam lost three quick wickets for the addition of a mere one run. Sibsankar Roy (4), Bhargav Dutta (0) and captain Denish Das (1), who retired hurt on Monday but came back to bat on Tuesday, were dismissed in the space of eight balls.
Number 7 batter Sumit Ghadigaonkar (76 not out off 96 balls) made a spirited late-order resistance but his colleagues did not give him company and he ran out of partners in the end.
Delhi Pacer Harshit Rana, who has been named in the Indian squad for the marquee Test tour of Australia starting next month, took another wicket on Tuesday to add to the one on Monday for innings figure of 2/61.
His pace colleagues Siddhant Sharma (3/24) and Money Grewal (3/50) grabbed three wickets apiece to rattle Assam in the second innings. Off-spinner Jonty Sidhu (1/0) also got one wicket, while the other was run-out.
Assam added 138 runs for the loss of seven wickets on Tuesday and faced 27 overs.
Set a target of 59 runs, Delhi openers Sanat Sangwan (34 not out) and Gagan Vats (25 not out) knocked off the required runs in 16.1 overs without losing any wicket.
Delhi made 62/0 in 16.1 overs in their second innings to collect seven points. Assam did not get any point.
Delhi are in third place with 11 points in Group D, having drawn their earlier two matches.
On Monday, all-rounder Mathur, ignored in the first two games, showed his prowess with a patient century to put Delhi in sight of an outright victory against Assam.
Brief Scores:
In Delhi: Assam 330 and 182 all out in 42 overs (Sumit Ghadigaonkar 76 not out; Siddhant Sharma 3/24, Money Grewal 3/50, Harshit Rana 2/61). Delhi 454 and 62/0 in 16.1 overs (Sanat Sangwan 34 not out; Gagan Vats 25 not out). Delhi won by 10 wickets.
Points: Delhi 7, Assam 0.
In Coimbatore: Chattisgarh 500. Tamil Nadu 259 and (f/o) 264/4 in 76 overs (Vijay Shankar 106 not out, Narayan Jagadeesan 60; Ajay Mandal 2/49). Match drawn.
Points: Chhattisgarh 3, Tamil Nadu 0.
In Jamshedpur: Jharkhand 202 and 130 all out in 50.3 overs (Sharandeep Singh 64, Virat Singh 30; Nishunk Birla 3/17, Raj Bawa 3/22, Vishu Kashyap 3/46). Chandigarh 290 and 45/0 in 3.3 overs. Chandigarh won by 10 wickets.
