Ranji Trophy: Delhi pacers lack sting on smoggy day

NEW DELHI: The early morning shroud of smog led to a two-hour delay to the start of the first day's play between Delhi and Jharkhand on Wednesday.

The cricket that followed seemed as dull as the weather, with a layer of smog lingering all through the day as Jharkhand laboured to 136/3 in 55 overs.

The Delhi attack posed very little threat to the batters.

The tinge of green on the pitch and the cool weather on Wednesday offered decent help for the Delhi seamers, but they lacked accuracy and barely looked like penetrating the modest Jharkhand batting lineup.

Simarjeet Singh was bowling within himself. New captain Ayush Badoni would have hoped to see Simarjeet set the tone for inexperienced pacers Sidhant Sharma and Money Grewal. But an underwhelming performance by the seamers meant opener Sharandeep Singh remained unbeaten on 64 off 183.