Delhi need an outright win, and a classic final day awaits the two teams on Monday — with Delhi still 97 runs ahead after Saurashtra ended Day Three at 46/2. It will be a fascinating contest of stubbornness with the bat and variety from the bowler’s hand.

There were quite a few shots that missed the outside edge on Sunday, a couple of chances that fell short, as well as a dropped catch. Wicketkeeper Bisht dropped a skier off the second ball of the Saurashtra second innings, but Sumit Narhwal did snare Chirag Pathak leg before not long after as the hosts lost their first wicket for four runs in reply to Delhi’s score of 384. Bisht made amends when he dived low on his leg-side to send back Bhushan Chauhan as Narhwal stuck again and Delhi ended the day on a strong note.

Shaky start

The visitors, though, didn’t have the ideal start. Delhi took the lead at the end of the eighth over, but Shikhar Dhawan could add just ten more to his overnight score before edging to wicketkeeper Sagar Jogiyani, who enjoyed being part of four dismissals. Striving to score big and briskly against the hard second new ball, Delhi were suffocated with the defensive field settings. Mithun Manhas, Yogesh Nagar and Punit Bisht were all back in the dressing room well before the first session concluded, left-arm seamer Balakrishna Jadeja slanting across the right-handers to grab two.

Needless run-out

Rajat Bhatia was needlessly run-out after three majestic boundaries and a six in his knock of 36, but the lower order lent a helping hand. Pradeep Sangwan hit a few lusty shots in a quickfire 35 from 39 deliveries while Chetnya Nanda played a responsible and effective innings of 47 before being the last man out as the teams took tea 18 minutes before schedule.

The leg-spinner looked completely unhappy with his decision and got docked 50 per cent of his match fee. But more than his antics, the team management would be worried over his bowling form. Rajat Bhatia, meanwhile, is due to attend a hearing on Monday morning for getting into an altercation with Kotak in the final session of play.

Sangwan has been largely under-utilised this season after a drastic dip in fortunes and his natural inswing, but Delhi’s depleting bowling stock would now put too much burden on their premier fast bowlers Parvinder Awana and Narhwal.