Ranji Trophy: Sanat Sangwan, Yash Dhull Throw It Away Post Half-Centuries As Delhi Score 306/4 On Day 1
Elsewhere, Vimal Khumar and Pradosh Ranjan Paul struck massive hundreds as Tamil Nadu piled up 399 against Nagaland on the opening day.
Openers Sanat Sangwan, Arpit Rana and vice-captain Yash Dhull scored contrasting fifties but failed to convert into hundreds as Delhi ended the opening day's play against Himachal Pradesh on 306 for 4 in a Ranji Trophy group D clash here on Saturday. While last match's double centurion Sangwan (79 off 170 balls) was once again at his dogged best, his opening partner Arpit (64 off 110 balls), fighting for his place in the side, struck his maiden half century in the first session itself.
The best innings of the day was played by Dhull (61 off 66 balls) who hit as many as 11 attractive boundaries before Arpit Guleria got him with one pitched up delivery that moved a shade kissing the outside edge of his bat.
At stumps, the stockily built Ayush Doseja (51 batting) was set and looks good for a big one on a track that had little to offer for the bowlers. He looked solid in defence and assured while using his feet against slow bowlers.
The day started with southpaw Arpit attacking the HP bowlers even as Sangwan played his natural defensive game.
Arpit, whose previous best first class score is 28, was severe on KKR bowler Vaibhav Arora and Guleria with a flurry of boundaries.
Once he was dismissed, Dhull was ultra aggressive as he played a ramp shot at will along with back cuts, square cuts and some delectable cover drives.
In fact, after he hit four boundaries in quick time, HP skipper Ankush Bains spread the field and even kept fielder at long on.
During that phase even Sangwan used his feet to get a few easy boundaries off left-arm spinners.
Left-arm spinner Mukul Negi and Akssh Vasisht were trying to bowl the leg stump line with a 5-3 leg side field.
Finally when Dhull was dismissed, skipper Ayush Badoni (15) was guilty of playing a loose shot away from his body to a short of length delivery from Arora offering a regulation catch at first slip.
However once Badoni was gone, Sangwan was dismissed in a freak manner.
A delivery from seamer Divesh Sharma was dug in short but it hardly took off as Sangwan ducked with his bat held awkwardly. The nick was taken by Bains but Doseja and Sumit Mathur saw off the last 75 minutes without any further damage adding 71 runs for the fifth wicket.
Elsewhere, Vimal Khumar and Pradosh Ranjan Paul struck massive hundreds as Tamil Nadu piled up 399 for two against Nagaland on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match here on Saturday.
Coming in for the ailing B Sachin, 24-year-old left-hander Vimal (189) grabbed his opportunity, hammering 28 boundaries during his 224-ball stay. Pradosh remained unbeaten on 156 off 252 balls, laced with 19 fours.
The duo added 307 runs for the second wicket before Vimal fell to Ronit More (1/33) in the 76th over, with Jonathan taking the catch.
At stumps, Pradosh was batting alongside Andre Siddharth C (30).
Debutant wicketkeeper-batter S R Athish (14) was the other wicket to fall, dismissed by Odilemba Kichu (1/69). None of the Nagaland bowlers made much impact as Tamil Nadu, who lost their season opener to Jharkhand in Coimbatore, pushed for maximum points.
Rated highly by senior pro R Ashwin, Vimal fell a few runs short of converting his maiden first-class ton into a double after a lapse in concentration.
In Vizianagaram, Vishnu Solanki was left stranded on 99 as he guided Baroda to 230 for six at stumps on a rain-hit opening day against Andhra Pradesh.
Solanki hit 12 fours and two sixes during his unbeaten 183-ball stay after walking in with Baroda struggling at 53 for three. His partnership with skipper Atit Sheth (65 not out) rescued the side from 76 for six.
For Andhra, debutant seamer K Saiteja claimed four wickets, while spinner T Vijay took the remaining two. Baroda had earlier beaten Odisha by seven wickets.
In Nagpur, openers Shikhar Mohan (60) and Sharandeep Singh (46) produced a solid start as former champions Vidarbha reached 119 without loss in 38 overs against Jharkhand.
Shikhar struck five fours, while Sharandeep hit four boundaries at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium. Both teams are coming off innings victories in their previous matches — Vidarbha defeating Nagaland by an innings and 179 runs, and Jharkhand beating Tamil Nadu by an innings and 114 runs.
In Kanpur, half-centuries from Sandeep Pattnaik (53), Govinda Poddar (64), Sambit S Baral (59 not out) and Rajesh Mohanty (48) helped Odisha post 243 in 77.1 overs after opting to bat against Uttar Pradesh.
For the hosts, Shivam Sharma (3/65), Shivam Mavi (2/46), Vipraj Nigam (2/39), Prashant Veer (2/1) and Kunal Tyagi (1/29) shared the wickets.
Brief Scores: Delhi 306/4 (Arpit Rana 64, Sanat Sangwan 79, Yash Dhull 61, Ayush Doseja 51 batting; Divesh Sharma 2/42) vs HP.
Tamil Nadu 1st innings: 399 for 2 in 90 overs (Vimal Khumar 189, Pradosh Ranjan Paul 156 not out; Ronit More 1/33) vs Nagaland.
Baroda 1st innings: 230 for 6 in 79 overs (Vishnu Solanki 99 not out; Kavuri Saiteja 4/28) vs Andhra Vidarbha 1st innings: 119 for 0 in 38 overs (Shikhar Mohan 60 not out, Sharandeep Singh 46 not out) vs Jharkhand.
Odisha 1st innings: 243allout in 77.1 overs (Govinda Poddar 64, Sambit S Baral 59 not out; Shivam Sharma 3/65) vs UP
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