Table toppers Delhi were outplayed for the second day in succession as they finished the proceedings at 133 for eight in reply to hosts Vidarbha's respectable first innings score of 370 in a Ranji Trophy group league encounter, here today.
Delhi, who still need 87 runs to avoid follow-on will be banking on veteran Virender Sehwag, who came into bat at No 10 and is undefeated on 6 alongside Varun Sood, who has consumed 100 balls for his 21.
Sehwag, who was running high temeperature couldn't bat at the top of the innings and came into bat after delhi lost their eighth wicket at 119.
"Viru was certainly not 100 percent fit but as we lost too many wickets, he had to come out to bat even though there hasn't been a complete remission of fever. He will bat tomorrow and hopefully with medication will get well by the night," Delhi chief coach Vijay Dahiya told PTI today.
It was a turning track where Delhi's batting couldn't withstand the pressure created by left-arm medium pacer Shrikant Wagh (4/33)and left-arm spinner Rakesh Dhruv (3/26).
Gautam Gambhir (6) and Unmukt Chand (21) struggled during initial overs before the veteran India discard tried to attack Dhurv and was duly stumped.
Chand and Mithun Manhas (27) added 39 for the third wicket before Wagh trapped both of them leg before with deliveries that held its line after pitching.
Milind Kumar was out to a ball that kept low while Manan Sharma didn't have any clue about the turning delivery from Dhruv.
Coach Dahiya however blamed the bowlers for their profligacy as they conceded 370 runs on a track that offered turn.
"Our spinners bowled poorly as it wasn't a pitch to concede 370 to the opposition. We are at the top of the table but we can't just lose the momentum," Dahiya said.
Brief Score: Vidarbha 1st Innings 370 in 118 overs (Ganesh Sathish 163, Shalabh Srivastav 50, Shivam Sharma 5/67)
Delhi 1st Innings 133/8 in 70 overs (Mithun Manhas 27, Shrikant Wagh 4/33, Rakesh Dhruv 3/26).
