Ranji Trophy 2017-18, Day Three: Akshay Wadkar smashes hundred to pile up miseries for Delhi

Vidarbha side added 322 runs on the third day as lower-middle order batsman Akshay Wadkar registered a magnificent hundred to extend the first innings lead of 233 runs over Delhi at the stumps on day three at Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday.

In 156 overs, Vidarbha has posted the huge first innings total of 528* as Rajneesh Gurbani, and Aditya Thakare is yet to bat for their state-side.

Wadkar, who has been prolific with the bat on the day, remained unbeaten on 133 off 243 deliveries, as his innings was comprised of 16 boundaries and a solitary maximum and on the other end Siddesh Neral is batting brilliantly on 56 off 92 balls. His innings included four sixes and four boundaries respectively.

Wadkar alongside Siddhesh struck 113 runs for the eighth wicket which further witnessed Delhi fielders dropping off their shoulders in frustration in the crucial grand finale.

Vidarbha lost just three wickets on day three as Rishabh Pant-led Delhi looked off-colour owing to the poor fielding which subsequently saw the bowlers toiled hard, in a bid to restrict opponent but that was not the case as the highly impressive side had already witnessed a decent foundation was laid by the openers.

For the seventh-wicket, Wadkar forged 169-run brilliant stand alongside the 28-year-old left-handed batsman Aditya Sarwate, as the latter knitted his innings well and went on to post 154-ball 79. His innings included 11 boundaries, before being caught by gloveman Rishabh Pant on the bowling of Nitish Rana.

The 23-year-old right-handed wicket-keeper batsman Wadkar brought-up his timely maiden ton – to bring Faiz Fazal-led Vidarbha closer to the coveted domestic title.

Vidarbha started the day’s proceedings with the score of overnight score of 206 for four in 67 overs, as Wadkar opening his account on the third-morning session after rotating the strike.

Earlier, for the fifth wicket, Akshay Wakhare (17 off 26) added 31 runs for the fifth wicket alongside Wasim Jaffer, before the Vidarbha lost half its team at the score of 237 in 73.6 overs.

Jaffer’s wicket was the second to fall today when he was trapped in front of the stumps by Navdeep Saini. The experienced batsman scored 78 off 150 balls, as his innings included 11 boundaries.

So far, Saini is the pick of the bowlers, who claimed three wickets after conceded 126 runs in 32.5 overs.

Read the news related to Ranji Trophy 2017-18:

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