Punjab gain narrow first innings lead

Ludhiana: The final day of the North Zone Ranji Trophy league match between Delhi and Punjab here yesterday was dominated by batsmen as Virender Sehwag hammered 187 runs and Dinesh Mongia slammed an unbeatan ton at the Punjab Agricultural University Grounds here.

Luck did not favour the brave as Delhi fought to take the first innings lead thanks to the heroic knock of 187 off 175 balls by Sehwag. But they fell short by three runs. Punjab thus got five points and Delhi three taking their points tally to 29 and 24 respectively.

The PAU ground witnessed a barrage of sixes from Sehwag, who was on 97 overnight. He attacked from the very beginning and there was no stopping him. He hit 20 boundaries and nine sixes, six of them in this morning. Harbhajan was hit for three sixes while Mongia and Navdeep Singh were hit once each over the fence.

Sehwag's fifth century in the Championship was one of sheer enterprise. He was eighth out caught at square leg by Sandeep Sharma of Harbhajan Singh, who finished with five wickets for 156 runs. Navdeep Singh who took the last wicket took three for 120. Delhi were finally all out for 527, about 50 minutes before lunch.

When Punjab batted a second time, Dinesh Mongia cracked a rapid fire century in the second innings which came of 108 balls with the help of 13 hits to fance and three sixes. In the company of Yuvraj Singh added 77 runs for the third wicket.

Yuvraj Singh (60) was unlucky to be given leg before as he edged the ball on to the pad. He played elegantly hitting seven boundaries during his knock of 99 balls.

Harinder Singh got two wickets at the cost of 85 runs while Robin Singh Jr, captured one wicket. Punjab in their second innings scored 227 runs for three wickets. When play was called off after eight mandatary overs 349 runs had been scored today in 81 overs.