Paranjpe, Kambli rub it in as Delhi face uphill task

Mumbai set Delhi a victory target of 501 runs after Jatin Paranjpe and Vinod Kambli had hit hundreds in contrasting styles on the third day of their Super League match at the Feroze Shah Kotla today. At stumps the Delhi openers had survived nine overs to make 41/0 with Devinder Sharma batting positively to run up 32 in 33 balls.

The runs came in torrents during the day, 401 in all, with Mumbai scoring 360 of them. After Amol Muzumdar (38) departed at 151, Paranjpe and Kambli conjured up a 210 run partnership in just 30.5 overs. Paranjpe was a shade circumspect with his hundred coming off 235 balls but Kambli displayed no inhibitions in clubbing an 87 ball hundred. His 114 (97 balls) was studded with 21 fours and one six and reinforced that at this level of cricket he had no peers.

Mumbai captain Samir Dighe declared when Paranjpe (185) was eighth out at 453. Paranjpe, whose knock numbered 16 fours and 5 sixes, had stepped up the pace after reaching his centuryhe needed only 90 more balls to get to 185. For Delhi, Virender Shewag claimed 4/87 from 36.4 overs with his off spinners.