Ranji Trophy final, Delhi vs Vidarbha, highlights: Dhruv Shorey puts DEL on top | Cricket - Hindustan Times
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Ranji Trophy final, Delhi vs Vidarbha, highlights: Dhruv Shorey puts DEL on top

Hindustan Times, New Delhi/Indore | BySayan Ghosh & Sidharth Gulati
Dec 29, 2017 05:03 PM IST

Dhruv Shorey and Himmat Singh played brilliantly to help Delhi recover against Vidarbha after Aditya Thakare took two wickets on debut. Follow highlights of Delhi vs Vidarbha, Ranji Trophy final here.

Dhruv Shorey notched up a gritty hundred and he was well supported by Himmat Singh’s aggressive knock as Delhi staged a revival against Vidarbha. Aditya Thakare and Akshay Wakhare struck for Vidharbha as Delhi lost both of their openers early on Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy final at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. Kunal Chandela was dismissed in the very first over and in-form skipper Gautam Gambhir was also unable to fire as he was dismissed for 15. Nitish Rana tried to lead the fightback but could only manage to score 21. Delhi are looking to claim their eighth Ranji Trophy title while Vidarbha are playing their maiden final. Follow highlights of Delhi vs Vidarbha, Ranji Trophy final here. (Ashes Day 4)

Dhruv Shorey celebrates his fifty during the Ranji Trophy final match between Delhi and Vidarbha in Indore on Friday. Follow highlights of Delhi vs Vidarbha, Ranji Trophy final here.(PTI)
Dhruv Shorey celebrates his fifty during the Ranji Trophy final match between Delhi and Vidarbha in Indore on Friday. Follow highlights of Delhi vs Vidarbha, Ranji Trophy final here.(PTI)

4:33 hrs IST: That’s stumps! Delhi are 271 for the loss of 6 wickets.

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3:56 hrs IST: Solid partnership building between Dhruv Shorey and Manan Sharma. Get a feeling that Rajneesh Gurbani’s ankle trouble has left Vidarbha bothered. There’s no official word yet on him .

And Shorey, what a player! These are the moments when a player’s skills and temperament get tested. He wasn’t in that good form before this game but today, all that can be forgotten.

It’s a final, big pressure game and Delhi are getting towards a good total.

Brief Scores: Delhi 240/5 after 75 overs (Shorey 97*, Manan 13*, Gurbani 2/44)

3:40 hrs IST: OUT! That’s the end of Manan Sharma as he departs for 11. Delhi 242/6

3:35 hrs IST: Just 15 overs remaining. Delhi are 240 for the loss of 5 wickets.

3:20 hrs IST: 72 overs gone on Day 1. Delhi are 232 for the loss of 5 wickets.

3:09 hrs IST: Gurbani is off the field. Looks like he has a problem in his ankle. Won’t finish his over

2:56 hrs IST: And just what the doctor ordered for Vidarbha. Rajneesh Gurbani strikes immediately after tea, gets Himmat Singh for 66. Manan Sharma is the next man in.

Himmat and Dhruv Shorey put on a 104-run partnership off just 149 balls.

Pacers are having a good time here. Vidarbha should look to restrict Delhi 300 or else, it could get tough for them. The likes of Navdeep Saini and Kulwant Khejroliya are in splendid form. Plus left-arm spinner Vikas Mishra, the highest wicket-taker for Delhi this season, could find a lot of purchase from this wicket as the match progresses.

Brief Scores: Delhi 213/5 after 65 overs (Shorey 84*, Himmat 66, Gurbani 2/43, Thakare 2/45)

2:19 hrs IST: This has been a great comeback from Delhi after being three down in the first session. Dhruv Shorey and Himmat Singh have pushed Delhi on course for a competitive first innings score. After Rishabh Pant’s dismissal, all Shorey needed was a dependable partner at the other end and he has finally got it. An unbeaten 81-run stand in 21.5 overs. Both batsmen have hit fifties and will look to convert it into a century. Overall, 91 runs were scored in the second session at 3.37 runs an over. Wicket seems to have eased a bit. Vidarbha bowlers will have to dig deep. Pacers have been more effective on this wicket as compared to spinners. Time for Gurbani & Co to bend their backs a little more. After all, it’s a Ranji Trophy final. Overall, the game is still balanced. Couple of wickets more and it’ll be Vidarbha’s day. But if this partnership goes on, things could get difficult for Faiz Fazal’s side.

Brief Scores: Delhi 180/4 after 60 overs at tea (Shorey 67*, Himmat 50*, Thakare 2/45) vs Vidarbha

1:45 hrs IST: Dhruv Shorey scores fifty. An extremely important innings from the right-handed batsman and he would like to get a century here. Looks a complete batsman. The duo (Shorey and Himmat) have stabilised the innings to an extent. A lot of work still needs to be done. Both have put on a 50+ stand, the first of Delhi’s innings. This is the time Vidarbha need to show more patience. Their bowlers should stick to right lengths. Spinners haven’t been that effective in this session. Maybe, it’s time to bring back Gurbani and Thakare. Both have used the conditions to their advantage.

Brief scores: Delhi 150/4 after 53 overs (Shorey 58*, Thakare 2/45, Wakhare 1/17) vs Vidarbha

1:18 hrs IST: Shorey is two short of a half-century. Himmat Singh slog sweeps one to deep mid-wicket boundary but due to awkward bounce, the fielder there (Ganesh Satish) gets hit on his nose. He’s bleeding.

Satish has been in great form for Vidarbha this season. Hope the injury is not too serious and he recovers well. Drinks are on the field now. News coming in: Satish is fine. Will go for a precautionary X-ray after the day’s play.

Brief Scores: Delhi 121/4 after 45.1 overs (Shorey 48*, Thakare 2/45)

12:59 hrs IST: 43 overs gone. Delhi are 108 for the loss of 4 wickets. Dhruv Shorey is batting on 40.

12:46 hrs IST: Ten runs in the first five overs since lunch, and the big wicket of Rishabh Pant. Rajneesh Gurbani joins the party. This is magnificent stuff from Vidarbha. They’ve stuck to their plans; haven’t given away any free runs.

The Delhi skipper looks to play it past point but gets an edge and wicket-keeper Akshay Wadkar does the rest.

There was a missed opportunity in the 34th over (of a run-out) but it doesn’t matter now. It’s just the first day of the game, there was no need to go (from Pant) to go after that wide delivery. Himmat Singh is at the crease.

Brief Scores: Delhi 99/4 after 38.1 overs (Shorey 38*, Wakhare 1/9, Thakare 2/39)

12:21 hrs IST: OUT! Rajneesh Gurbani strikes as Rishabh Pant departs for 21.Delhi 99/4

12:10 hrs IST: We are back for the 2nd session of the 2017 Ranji Trophy final.

11:43 hrs IST: And that’s lunch. Good session for Vidarbha. Faiz Fazal’s decision to bowl first seems to working (as of now). What a debut it has been for Aditya Thakare! Wicket in the first over and that too of the in-form Kunal Chandela. He even troubled India’s best batsman at one time, Gautam Gambhir, with his inswingers.

When a partnership was building between Gambhir and No. 3 batsman Dhruv Shorey, offspinner Akshay Wakhare struck in the 13th over to get the former Delhi captain. Gambhir scored 15 with three boundaries.

Nitish Rana, the left-handed batsman who came in at No. 4, looked in good touch before he played one down the wrong line, only to get trapped in front of middle and leg. He was Thakare’s second victim of the innings.

Dhruv Shorey has been the stand-out Delhi batsman. Has looked in complete control. He’s on his way to a well-deserved half-century, but the seven-time Ranji Trophy champions need a big one from him.

Rishabh Pant, who has just one fifty plus score in six matches so far, has hit three boundaries in no time. Delhi would hope their captain gets to the three-figure mark.

Fazal would be content with Vidarbha’s performance. Three wickets in the first two-and-a-half-hours is excellent!

Brief Scores: Delhi 89/3 after 33 overs at lunch (Shorey 33*, Pant 16*, Thakare 2/36, Wakhare 1/9)

11:20 hrs IST: 30 overs gone. Delhi are 83 for 3 with Dhruv Shorey batting on 33.

11:14 hrs IST: As soon as we thought a partnership was building, Aditya Thakare got the wicket of Nitish Rana, who looked set to get a big one. Gets trapped in front of middle and leg. The left-handed batsman fell for 21(44) with two boundaries and a maximum. Delhi in all sorts of trouble now. In walks Rishabh Pant. Get a feeling he needs to curb his attacking instinct and put on a partnership with Shorey.

On the other hand, the Delhi No. 3 has displayed calculative strokeplay so far. Has punished almost all loose deliveries and his defence has been solid.

Vidarbha bowlers have read the situation well. It’s all about patience here and rewards will come, eventually. Twenty minutes to go for lunch. Can Vidarbha get Delhi’s half-a-side in the first session itself?

Brief Scores: Delhi 72/3 after 28 overs (Shorey 26*, Pant 6*, Wakhare 1/9, Thakare 2/21) vs Vidarbha.

11:04 hrs IST: OUT! Aditya Thakare strikes once again as Nitish Rana departs. Delhi 65/3

10:38 hrs IST: Big moment for Nitish Rana. With captain Pant not in good form, Rana should look to shoulder the responsibility and guide his team to a competitive first innings total.

What a start for Vidarbha! Commendable show from their fast bowlers (and not to forget offie Wakhare). More than hour and a half since the play started and there’s still some movement for Thakare & Co... Fazal rotating his bowlers well.

Had Gambhir not got out, who knows, things could’ve been different. No experienced batters for Delhi now. Can Rana play a big knock?

Brief Scores: Delhi 44/2 after 18 overs (Shorey 17*, Rana 10*, Wakhare 1/1, Thakare 1/20) vs Vidarbha.

10:28 hrs IST: 18 overs gone. Delhi are struggling at 44 for the loss of 2 wickets.

10:06 hrs IST: Both Gambhir and Shorey looked pretty calm in their approach before offspinner Wakhare removed the Delhi opener in the 13th over. It was his 200th wicket in first-class cricket. Big blow for the seven-time Ranji Trophy champions. In desperate need of a solid partnership.

Earlier, Siddhesh Neral came in as the first change in the eighth over. He started with a maiden.

Shorey hit a good length delivery from Thakare to long-off for his first boundary of the day. In the 10th over, Gambhir flicked one towards backward square leg boundary to move into double figures.

Shorey then worked a rare loose delivery from Thakare, down leg, to fine leg boundary.

Bat once, bat big holds the key to Delhi’s chances here.

Brief Scores: Delhi 30/2 after 13 overs (Shorey 14*, Rana 0*, Wakhare 1/0, Thakare 1/8) vs Vidarbha.

09:59 hrs IST: OUT! Big blow for Delhi as Gautam Gambhir becomes the 200th domestic victim of Akshay Wakhare. Delhi 29/2

09:42 hrs IST: 9 overs gone. Delhi are 15 for the loss of one wicket.

09:28 hrs IST: Aditya Thakare, who started the proceedings with a no-ball, struck on the fourth delivery to get rid of Kunal Chandela – who had scored a century in the semifinal against Bengal. Perfect outswinger from the debutant, Chandela was forced to play at it. Got an outside edge and Vidarbha captain Faiz Fazal does the rest at first slip.

Rajneesh Gurbani, sharing the new ball with Thakare, got decent movement. In third over, Thakare troubled Gambhir on a couple of occasions. The former Delhi skipper looked to drive but was undone by two sharp inswinging deliveries.

Gambhir scored the first boundary of Delhi’s innings in the fourth over, when he dispatched an overpitched ball from Gurbani to sweeper cover.

The former India opener was found wanting against Thakare, who again asked questions with his impeccable line and length in the fifth over. Overall, the small session belonged to Vidarbha.

Brief Scores: Delhi 10/1 after 5 overs (Gambhir 5*, Shorey 4*, Thakare 1/3) vs Vidarbha.

09:17 hrs IST: A really impressive start by the Vidarbha bowlers as they are generating a lot of pace off the track. Delhi 4/1

09:11 hrs: A closer look at the two finalists -

09:04 hrs: OUT! Aditya Thakare strikes on his debut as Kunal Chandela is caught in the slips for a duck. Delhi 1/1

08:56 hrs IST: Vidarbha opted to field after winning the toss in their maiden Ranji Trophy final.

08:47 hrs IST: Welcome to the live blog of the Delhi vs Vidarbha Ranji Trophy final

08:45 hrs IST: Hello and good morning!

For Vidarbha, opener and skipper Faiz Fazal has led from the front, scoring 843 runs in eight games at 76.63 with five centuries. The left-handed batsman has been well supported by Sanjay Ramaswamy and Wasim Jaffer, making a formidable top three.

In the bowling department, Rajneesh Gurbani has led the charge with 31 wickets in five matches.

While the seven-time champions Delhi would be favourites to begin with, Vidarbha would hope to continue their winning habit and achieve glory.

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