Batsmen help Delhi enter quarterfinals

The batsmen enabled Delhi to comfortably enter the quarterfinals of the Vijay Merchant Trophy Under-16 tournament by virtue of the massive first innings lead of 199 runs over Orissa at the Calcutta Cricket and Football Ground in Calcutta on Wednesday. Delhi now take on Mumbai in the quarterfinal to be played from January 5 to 7.

Resuming at 287 for 6, Delhi were all out for 430 in 137.2 overs. Carrying on from were they left off, Abishek Nag (76) and A Bali (69) forged a 118-run seventh wicket stand. A Bali was the first to be dismissed in the afternoon, caught by G Sahoo off SK Jahangir. New batsman H Khullar departed seven balls later, falling leg before to B Mohanty. Then Nag took the score to 430 when he was bowled by R Mohanty. During his 228-minute stay, Nag faced 185 balls and hit 13 fours.

In the remaining 2-1/2 hours, Orissa in their second innings scored 137 while losing the wicket of P Pradhan (19). The other opener Priyadarshi Debasish (50) and Rakesh Mohanty (62) took the team to stumps without further hiccups. Priyadarshi faced 147 balls and hit six of them to the ropes while Mohanty faced 90 balls and found the signboards eleven times.