Ranji Trophy: Hiten Dalal, Dhruv Shorey hit fifties on day one, umpiring draws flak
Dhruv Shorey made a significant contribution but missed out on a hundred on a day when some questionable umpiring calls were made.
Hiten Dalal scored a brisk 79 on debut before Himachal Pradesh fought back to reduce Delhi to 305 for eight at stumps on day one of a Group B Ranji Trophy match here Monday.
Dhruv Shorey (88) too made a significant contribution but missed out on a hundred on a day when some questionable umpiring calls were made. Gautam Gambhir, who was on 44, vented out his frustration after being caught at short leg off left-arm spinner Mayank Dagar in the 17th over. The replays showed that the ball only hit the pad before Priyanshu Khanduri claimed the catch, ending a 96-run opening-wicket partnership between Gambhir and Dalal.
Dalal and Shorey then took the innings forward. Dalal, who had scored a fifty also on his List A debut earlier this year, went for the attack at the slightest of opportunities. He ended up collecting 10 fours and three sixes.
ALSO READ: Ranji Trophy 2018: Gautam Gambhir infuriated after umpiring howler - Watch
Once Dalal departed, Shorey never really got the support he was looking for with Delhi suffering a middle-order collapse after being 161 for one in the 34th over.
Nitish Rana (6) could not do much on his captaincy debut, lasting just 19 balls. Running out of partners, a well-settled Shorey perished while attempting an aerial hit over cover.
Anuj Rawat and Lalit Yadav failed to build on their starts, leaving Delhi in a spot of bother.
Varun Sood was batting on 18 and Vikash Mishra on 5 when stumps were called.
Dagar was the pick of the bowlers for Himachal Pradesh, taking three wickets for 57 runs in 21 overs while off-spinner Gurvinder Singh took two for 57 in 21 overs.
Brief Scores: Delhi 305/8 in 89 overs (Gambhir 44, Shorey 88, Dalal 79; Dagar 3/57).