Young paceman Navdeep Saini rocked the Maharashtra top-order in a career-best haul of six for 32 as Delhi bowled out the visitors for a paltry 80 to take control of their Ranji Trophy Group A match, here today.
In a sensational spell, 22-year-old Saini polished off the top-five batsmen to reduce Maharashtra to 52 for five after the visitors opted to bat at Feroz Shah Kotla Ground.
Pradeep Sangwan (2/19) and Manan Sharma (2/25) shared four wickets between them as Delhi needed just 25.4 overs to wrap up the Maharashtra innings.
Only three visiting batsmen -- opener Harshad Khadiwale (21), Ankit Bawne (16) and Sangram Atitikar (16) -- managed a double-digit score.
Delhi were leading by 77 runs as they ended the opening day at 157 for four with Dhruv Shorey (54 batting) and Nitish Rana (59) scoring half-centuries.
Skipper Gautam Gambhir did not get a substantial score, bowled by Samad Fallah for six and his opening partner Unmukt Chand (4) also fell cheaply.
Shorey and Rana added 99 runs for the third wicket to stabilise the innings but. Paceman Shrikant Mundhe broke the stand by trapping Rana and wicket-keeper batsman Rishab Pant (19) also his wicket but Shorey kept the one end tight.
Giving Shorey company was Milind Kumar (8).
Brief Scores:
Maharashtra 1st innings: 80 all out in 25.4 overs(H Khadiwale 21, A Bawane 16; N Saini 6/32)
Delhi 157 for 4 in 52 overs.(D Shorey 54 batting, N Rana 59; S Mundhe 2/48).
