Ranji Trophy: Baroda pile on runs against Delhi

New Delhi - Baroda lost four wickets on the second day of their Ranji Trophy Group B tie against Delhi and piled on 273 runs to end at 525/7 at the Ferozshah Kotla here on Sunday.

At stumps, Ketan Panchal and Gagandeep Singh Natt were batting on 72 and 70, respectively.

Resuming the day at 252 for three, both middle?order batsmen Abhimanyu Chauhan and Ambati Rayudu, who anchored the innings for Baroda on the opening day, went on to score centuries while forging a 213?run partnership.

Chauhan made a splendid 113, including 18 boundaries, while stand?in skipper Rayudu top scored with 131 on a day dominated by the Baroda batsman. Rayudu struck 22 fours in his innings.

The Baroda batsmen weathered the early morning moisture for one hour and 45 minutes before Delhi all?rounder Sumit Narwal (2/84) was the first to provide a breakthrough, dismissing Chauhan to take his second scalp of the match.

Rayudu also did not last for long and perished as Parwinder Awana (2/97) picked his first wicket before lunch. The change of bowling helped Delhi and the Baroda skipper was clean bowled.

The visitors lost two more wickets in the post?lunch session as wicketkeeper batsman Kedar Devdhar (27) and Murtuza Vahora (11) departed in a span of a few overs. Devdhar looked in form but one pulled shot off Awana went straight to long leg.

Vahora was the last wicket to fall Sunday, a low delivery by Rajat Bhatia hitting the timber ?? and the score read 399/7.

But from thereon, Devdhar and Natt held the innings together for another three hours playing aggressive cricket. Both batsmen hit seven boundaries and three sixes, each, as they accelerated to add 126 more runs for the eighth wicket.

The Delhi bowlers looked hapless. Lead pacer Ashish Nehra did not take the field as a hamstring injury kept him inside the pavilion.