Ranji Trophy: Uttar Pradesh humble star-studded Delhi

Sehwag returned to form with a century, but UP still overhauled Delhi. (File Photo)

Ghaziabad - Uttar Pradesh chased down a target of 155 runs to easily beat a star-studded Delhi on day four of their opening Ranji Trophy Group B tie here at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Monday.

Delhi, boasting the likes of Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli and Ishant Sharma, were expected to get the better of Uttar Pradesh, but the 2005-06 champions dominated the match from Day One and overcame the seven-time winners.

Sehwag (107) returned to form with a swashbuckling century even as the Suresh Raina-led side won the match by six wickets.

Uttar Pradesh got home comfortably, thanks to Mukul Dagar (37), who scored his maiden first-class ton in the first innings, and Raina (37). The home team had scored 403 in its first attempt while Delhi made 235 and 322. Dagar and speedster Imtiaz Ahmed, ending with a match haul of nine wickets, were adjudged joint “Man of The Match”.

Arish Alam (15) and Ali Murtaza (14) remained unbeaten at the crease as the final score read 158/6.

Earlier in the morning, Delhi did not start according to plan, losing two wickets immediately after resuming at 197/4.

Mithun Manhas (65), who looked in good touch on Sunday, could only manage two runs in the morning before being caught at second slip by Alam off the bowling of Bhuvaneshwar Kumar.

Next in, all-rounder Sumit Narwal was run out for a duck. Alam was again influential as his throw at the non-striker’s end ensured Narwal’s walk towards the pavilion.

Thereon, skipper Sehwag, who looked cautious on Sunday, and birthday boy Pradeep Sangwan (21) built an important 85-run partnership which took the score par-300. Sangwan provided good support to his skipper who raced away to a century off 146 balls.

His innings included some of his signature shots, one of which he nicked was dropped at first slip by his counterpart Raina. He was on 70 at that time.

While Delhi made 111 runs for the loss of three wickets in the first session (308/7), they failed to capitalise on it after the lunch break and folded up their second innings for the addition of another 14 runs.

The ‘Nawab of Najafgarh’, who tried his best to save the day for his team while carrying a finger injury, hammered 19 boundaries in his spectacular innings. The Delhi skipper perished while mistiming another big hit and getting caught at mid-on by Praveen Kumar.