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Openers propel Delhi to a facile win over HP

Powered by a fine 100 by opener Chetan Sharma, Delhi helped themselves to a eight wicket win over Himachal Pradesh in the North Zone Ranji Trophy One-Day tournament match at the Feroz Shah Kotla on Tuesday

Natarajan Sriram
22-Jul-2009
Powered by a fine 100 by opener Chetan Sharma, Delhi helped themselves to a eight wicket win over Himachal Pradesh in the North Zone Ranji Trophy One-Day tournament match at the Feroz Shah Kotla on Tuesday.
Set to score 222 for a win, Delhi openers Chetan Sharma (100) and Ashu Dani (86) dominated the HP bowers for 83.4 overs during which they made 168 runs. Such was their supremacy that the HP skipper Rajiv Nayyar was prompted to utilise nine of his players in the bowling department. Chetan Sharma was the first to be dismissed caught by R Thakur off Amit Sharma. During a 174 minute stay at the crease Sharma faced 131 balls and found the boundary ropes eleven times.
Then Gautam Gambhir (21 not out) joined Dani to take the score on to 214. By the time Dani fell for a catch to Amit off V Sharma the game was well and truly in favour of Delhi. Mithun Mihnas and Ghambhir then took the hosts home.
Earlier, opting to bat first, HP's innings was steadied by a fine 72 by Nayyar. He shared a 88 run fifth wicket stand with Varindar Sharma (37). Nayyar then fell with the score at 191, stumped by Chawla off Rahul Sanghvi. Sanghvi was the most successfull bowler for Delhi with figures of 4 for 34.