At 3.15 p.m. on Thursday, Delhi and Services were ready to shake hands for a draw in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group-C battle at the Airforce Complex Ground in Palam. Yash Dhull, unbeaten on 72 then, was nearing his first hundred of the season while Services needed six more wickets for an improbable outright win.

With the umpires asking the teams to carry on, the next 40-odd minutes were a formality. Once Dhull got to the three-figure mark by steering part-time off-spinner Nitin Tanwar for four, the officials gave the green light for the game to be called off. Set a target of 320 from 54 overs, Delhi finished on 168 for four in 37 overs.

The stalemate handed Ayush Badoni & Co. three points for securing the first-innings lead. Services added a point.

For Dhull, who had tallied 103 runs in his first five innings this season, an uninterrupted 104 off as many deliveries was a source of relief.

If the 23-year-old’s innings halted a lean run, Rajat Paliwal’s century earlier in the day for Services extended a hot streak. The 34-year-old skipper, batting on 62 overnight, went on to compile 116 in Services’ second-innings total of 397 for nine declared. It was his second hundred of the game, a repeat of his feat against Saurashtra in the 2015-16 season.

It was when Paliwal was dismissed on 116 shortly after lunch that Services declared. The designated host’s target meant it had to score at a run rate of 5.92.

Priyansh Arya started the chase with a maximum against off-spinner Pulkit Narang, but his dismissal on 15 – his pull off medium-pacer Jayant Goyat was caught at deep square-leg – was a severe dent.

Once Badoni was trapped in front by left-arm spinner Arjun Sharma in the 11th over, Delhi’s hopes of a thrilling pursuit were extinguished.

The scores: Services - 1st innings: 266

Delhi -- 1st innings: 344

Services -- 2nd innings: Nitin Tanwar lbw b Saini 2, Shubham Rohilla b Saini 5, Ravi Chauhan b Shokeen 56, Mohit Ahlawat c Sangwan b Aman 142, Rajat Paliwal c & b Mathur 116, Nakul Sharma c Badoni b Aman 1, Vineet Dhankhar b Aman 13, Arjun Sharma c Rawat b Shokeen 10, Jayant Goyat c & b Saini 31, Pulkit Narang (not out) 14; Extras (b-6, lb-1): 7; Total (for nine wkts. declared. in 99.1 overs): 397

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-13, 3-139, 4-266, 5-268, 6-296, 7-315, 8-355, 9-397

Delhi bowling: Saini 18-2-79-3, Shokeen 20-4-76-2, Lakra 13-3-37-0, Aman 36-2-123-3, Badoni 2-0-17-0, Mathur 6.1-0-31-1, Priyansh 3-0-17-0, Doseja 1-0-10-0

Delhi -- 2nd innings (target: 320): Priyansh Arya c Tanwar b Goyat 15, Sanat Sangwan (run out) 5, Yash Dhull (not out) 104, Ayush Badoni lbw b Arjun 17, Ayush Doseja c Nakul b Tanwar 14, Sumit Mathur (not out) 11; Extras (lb-2): 2; Total (for four wkts. in 37 overs): 168

Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-39, 3-74, 4-118