RAJKOT: Delhi suffered an innings and 214-run defeat at the hands of Saurashtra inside three days as the hosts earned a bonus point in a Ranji Trophy Group B match on Thursday.
With Saurashtra, led by seam bowler Jaydev Unadkat, finally declaring the innings at 574 for eight, the visitors were left chasing a mountain of runs -- 441, to be precise -- to make the hosts bat again.
Delhi's spineless batting, which managed just 133 runs in the first innings, did come up with a slightly better display in the second innings but it was not enough given the enormity of the task.
Yash Dhull's side delayed the inevitable for a while before they were done in by the guile of Yuvrajsinh Dodiya. That they managed to score 227 on Thursday was largely due to the efforts of top-order batters Ayush Badoni and Hrithik Shokeen, who had contributions of 40 and 51 runs respectively.
Dodiya emerged the unlikely hero for Saurashtra as the 22-year-old off-spinner grabbed his first five-wicket haul in only his second first-class game to spell the demise of Delhi's batting.
Delhi are staring at Ranji relegation, having so far earned just two points from four games. With three more rounds to go -- and given the sorry state of the team -- avoiding relegation would be a tall order for Dhull's side.
Earlier on day three, Saurashtra continued to pile on the runs with Unadkat, following his best first-class bowling figures of 8/39 in the first innings, setting his sights on a century as well.
The skipper continued from his overnight score of 24, playing an entertaining innings before he was dismissed on 70 off just 68 balls.
Delhi came in to bat in their second innings already deflated by the enormity of task. Dhruv Shorey and Ayush Badoni gave a steady start to the visitors -- a workmanlike 67-run partnership. But Delhi suffered a double blow on 67 when both the openers departed, and they found themselves in familiar territory again.
The visitors kept losing wickets at regular with Dodiya chipping away and finally ending Delhi's resistance in the 64th over of their innings.
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