Ranji Trophy 2015, Group A: Ishant Sharma, Gautam Gambhir keep Delhi ahead

Ishant Sharma took a six-wicket haul for Delhi. (Source: File)

Ishant Sharma continued his brilliant form with the ball as his six-wicket haul enabled Delhi to restrict Vidarbha to 298 in the Ranji Trophy group league encounter in New Delhi on Friday.

Delhi, in reply, crawled to 132 for two in 60 overs as skipper Gautam Gambhir played a painstaking unbeaten innings of 62 off 180 balls with six fours. In fact, the India discard consumed 30 of the 60 overs as Vidarbha bowlers tried a negative line bowling way outside the off-stump.

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The highlight of the day, apart from Ishant’s innings, was debutant left-hander Nitish Rana, who scored 57 off 139 deliveries with eight boundaries.

Along with Gambhir, he added 112 runs for the unbroken third-wicket stand.

Delhi need 167 runs to get the first-innings lead.

The 21-year-old Rana was impressive during his stay at the wicket. Strong off backfoot, the youngster packed a lot of punch in his shots.

Especially square off the wicket, Rana’s shots were off the drawer.

A square cut followed by a straight drive off Shrikant Wagh was appreciated by one and all. He completed his half century with a glorious on drive coming down the track against off-spinner Akshay Wakhare.

But Gambhir’s subdued form was the reason that Delhi could not press the initiative, scoring barely two runs per over.

In the morning, Ishant showed that he is a class apart from other bowlers as he intimidated Vidarbha lower-order with pace and bounce.

The standout was a bouncer that nearly took Wakhare’s head and he was so dazed that he gave a tame catch off the next delivery.

Brief Scores: Vidarbha 298 all out (Faiz Fazal 55, S Badrinath 44, Ishant Sharma 6/36). Delhi 132/2 (Gautam Gambhir 62 batting, Nitish Rana 57 batting)

Karun hits ton as Karnataka take 1st innings vs Bengal

Upcoming talent Karun Nair made a mincemeat of Bengal bowling with a crushing century as defending champions Karnataka comfortably took the first innings lead against Bengal in a Ranji Trophy group league encounter.

In reply to Bengal’s first innings score of 312, Karnataka riding on Karun’s unbeaten 119 reached 322 for four in 83 overs at stumps on the second day.

Brief Scores: Bengal 312 in 88.2 overs (Sudeep Chatterjee 145, Wriddhiman Saha 90, R Vinay Kumar 4/80) Karnataka 322/4 (Karun Nair 119 batting, Shreyas Gopal 55 batting, Manish Pandey 53, Pragyan Ojha 1/95)

Das fiver helps Assam take lead over Rajasthan

Pacer Krishna Das cleaned up the Rajasthan lower order batting to complete his five-wicket haul as Assam shot out the visiting team for 186 and then take a 26-run lead on the second day of their Ranji Trophy Group A cricket match.

Rajasthan began the day on 147 for 5 and Das took four of the remaining five wickets as the visitors added only 39 runs to their overnight score. The visitors were dismissed for 186 in 83.4 overs.

Brief Scores: Rajasthan 1st Innings: 186 all out in 83.4 overs (Vineet Saxena 42, Dishant Yagnik 36 not out; Krishna Das 5/32) Assam 1st Innings: Gokul Sharma 46, Arun Karthik 60 batting; K Ajay Singh 3/43).

Podder’s unbeaten 78 keeps Odisha in hunt

Govind Podder made an unbeaten 78 to take Odisha to 167 for four in reply to Maharashtra’s 281 as the Ranji Trophy Group A fixture was evenly poised after the second day’s proceedings at the Barbati Stadium, here today.

Podder scored his runs off 167 balls with the help of 12 boundaries. Giving him company at stumps was Pratik Das on 32.

Medium-pacer Shrikant Mundhe (3/40) picked up three crucial wickets for Maharashtra.

Brief Scores: Maharashtra 1st innings: 281 all out in 101.2 overs (Harshad Khadiwale 74, Ankit Bawne 60; Suryakant Pradhan 4/90). Odisha 1st innings: 167 for four in 67 overs (Govind Podder 78 not out; Shrikant Mundhe 3/40).