Nehra fit to play against Haryana

Medium-pacer Ashish Nehra has been declared fit to play in Delhi's Ranji Trophy group match against Haryana, which begins in Lahli, a town outside Rohtak, on Saturday. Delhi coach Vijay Dahiya said Nehra had bowled for an hour and fielded during a training session, and was looking in good condition.

Nehra played two of Delhi's four Ranji games so far - the season opener against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad and against Baroda, where he bowled only six overs before a hamstring injury sidelined him from that match and the next two. His presence in Lahli was meant to bolster Delhi's pace attack on a pitch that helps seam bowling and in weather that can aid his abilities.

Haryana lost their previous three matches in Lahli and according to Dahiya, the pitch was not the grassy heaven that bowlers dream of. The surface may be the same one used in the previous game against Baroda and, after a three-day gap, it was looking "bare and brown". Dahiya said it was possible that Delhi would play two spinners, "with a call on the fast bowlers to be taken tomorrow."

Delhi's choice of spinners is from offspinner Manoj Chauhan, left-arm spinner Pawan Negi and their frontline spinner Vikas Mishra. Negi is a bowling allrounder who gives Delhi the option of going in with five bowlers, if he is to replace Sumit Narwal. His selection would allow Delhi to field three seamers in Nehra, Parvinder Awana and Pawan Suyal. However, both Mishra and Negi in the eleven would mean Delhi playing two left-armers.

Delhi have 11 points from four matches so far with one outright victory, while Haryana are yet to win a point after three matches.