In one of the Ranji Trophy 2017-18 first round fixtures, Ishant Sharma-led Delhi missed out on a massive opportunity to register their first outright win against Assam in the Group A fixture at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium which was further marred by controversy owing to the chaos and confusion at the fag end of the day.
However, the bad light forced umpires to withdraw the bails which resulted in a crucial point being offered to the visitors for defending the paltry target, in the final hour of the play on day four of the first-class game.
The Assam bowlers relied on the tactics while wasting the all-important time after hosts bowlers failed to run through Assam’s batting line-up which painstakingly faced 108.4 overs in the second innings – to score at the run-rate of 2.35.
Delhi were bound to chase down the target of 79 in 14 overs, as the disappointment was visible on Delhi players when the hosts posted just 49 for two after eight overs were bowled in one-hour play which further raised eyebrows that Assam bowlers were too slow in sending down the overs.
Interestingly, with Delhi side distraught after the drawn game, the match referee Sunil Chaturvedi further didn’t take any action as of now, against the visitors for alleged slow over-rate in last hour-play.
The hosts were enraged when Twenty20 specialist Nitish Rana was involved in a heated exchange with Gokul Sharma-led Assam’s fielders.
Frayed tempers. Assam bowled 7 overs in 1 hour. Nitish Rana and Assam guys have exchange of words. #RanjiTrophy2017
— Kushan Sarkar (@kushansarkar) October 9, 2017
The reports suggest Assam bowlers sent down just seven hours after around 60 minutes which eventually infuriated the Delhi side owing to the visitors’ timid approach.
As the 14-overs seemed to be improbable task under the fading light in the country’s capital, Gokul set-up a tight fielding which didn’t allow Delhi batsmen to score runs freely during a run chase which was well in their reach of the hosts owing to their batting line-up.
Assam bowling to a packed field and it looks unlikely that 79 will be reached in 14 overs. #RanjiTrophy2017
— Kushan Sarkar (@kushansarkar) October 9, 2017
Owing to the pressure tactics after Assam batsmen frustrated Delhi’s bowling line-up which is spearheaded by skipper Ishant himself, opposition captain Gokul further forced their fielders to patrol boundary-line which also saw the visitors allowed hosts to scamper for two.
At 49 in 8 overs umpires had to stop play. There's no light. Unmukt Chand is livid. Blame it on @delhi_cricket bowlers. #RanjiTrophy2017
— Kushan Sarkar (@kushansarkar) October 9, 2017
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The 24-year-old opening batsman Unmukt Chand (25* off 22) was furious when he witnessed umpires and Assam players walking off the ground owing to the bad light.
On the other side, Milind Kumar was batting on six off five deliveries, as Rana (4 off 3), who was promoted to number three position failed to live up to the expectations after smashing a splendid hundred in first innings when Delhi posted 435 on board.
The hosts lost both their wickets in sixth over on the bowling of 26-year-old right-arm medium pacer Krishna Das.
Earlier, Assam before earning the psychological point was bundled out for 258 in first innings and 255 in the second innings respectively which further saw Delhi securing three crucial points while having their net run-rate of +0.850.