Amit Bhandari props up Delhi

Delhi did well to score 349 after resuming at 270 for seven but Haryana replied with a confident if laborious 98 for two off 47 overs at stumps on the second day of their North Zone Ranji Trophy league match at the Tata Energy Reserach Institute (TERI) ground in Gurgaon on Monday.

Amit Bhandari, with a fine 72, was chiefly instrumental in the Delhi innings lasting longer than expected in the morning. He lost his overnight partner Rahul Sanghvi at 275 but then he found an able companion in Ashish Nehra (24) with whom he added 53 runs for the ninth wicket off 33.2 overs. Nehra, who batted a shade of over two hours, faced 99 balls and hit two fours. Last man Robin Singh then joined Bhandari and the two increased the score by 21 runs before Bhandari was last out. The former Indian seam bowler, who had come in at No 9, batted 262 minutes. He faced 189 balls and hit two fours and a six. Pankaj Thakur finished with five for 107 off 45.2 overs.

Haryana lost Jitender Singh (2) early but the other opener Padmanjeet (30) and Jasvir Singh added 56 runs for the second wicket off 32 overs. Jasvir at stumps was batting with 52. He has so far batted three hours, faced 152 balls and has hit nine fours. Keeping him company is skipper Parinder Sharma (9). Ashish Nehra took both the wickets for 32 runs.