Duleep Trophy: Unlucky North trip in semi-final as South set up title clash with Central

Two incidents heavily weighed against North Zone in their Duleep Trophy encounter against South Zone in Bengaluru.

On the first morning, after winning the toss and deciding to bowl, they made an early breakthrough when N Jagadeesan edged one to be caught behind only to remain at the crease with a smile after the wicket-taking delivery by India Test pace bowler Anshul Kamboj was deemed a no-ball.

Jagadeesan (in pic) went on to make 197 and shared century partnerships with Tanmay Agarwal (43) and Devdutt Padikkal (57) for the first and second wickets and added 87 with Ricky Bhui (54) for the fifth wicket.

He was the fifth to fall at 385 and his knock helped South Zone reach 536 runs.

It was a huge total but not impossible to surmount.

Opener Shubham Khajuria, who has had an outstanding season for Jammu and Kashmir in Ranji Trophy scoring 679 runs in eight matches, stood like a rock as he manned the North Zone innings along with left-handed all-rounder Nishant Sindhu (82).  

North Zone started on a shaky note as they lost skipper Ankit Kumar early. Ankit (6) was dismissed by Gurjapneet Singh, who came round the wicket and brought the ball in. It struck the pad. After Ankit’s dismissal, Dhull (14) tried to take the attack back to the bowlers. He was playing on the up but was bowled as the ball came back into him.

Ayush Badoni batted well and added 63 for the third wicket with Khajuria before MD Nidheesh surprised him. The Kerala pace bowler had been bowling outswingers all the while and even in the Delhi-Kerala match last year bowled only the ones going out. This time, however, he bowled one that came back in sharply and Badoni was surprised and dismissed leg-before.

“We were very unlucky with the ball. There were many half chances that we were not able to convert. We lost early wickets but despite that Nishant and I had the game under control,” said Khajuria, who scored 128 with 20 fours and a six.

But then came the second incident that brought South Zone right into the game.

“In the last 10 minutes, Nishant and Kanhaiya Wadhawan were dismissed one after the other. We were 273/3 and could have ended Day 3 at 300/3 but we suddenly became 270-odd for five at end of the day.”

Even though South bowled in a disciplined manner, playing with four bowlers – three medium pacers and a left-arm spinner, Khajuria and Nishant Sindhu added 171 runs for the fourth wicket.

“We didn’t lose a single wicket from lunch to tea and then from tea till 10 minutes before the end. But the last 10 minutes changed it.”

Sindhu went for the upper cut and was caught at third man and then Wadhawan called for a run after hitting the ball to which Khajuria responded. Wadhawan was caught short.

With five down at stumps and still 250-plus to get on the last day, the odds were heavily stacked against North Zone.

Whatever hope they had was dashed early on the fourth morning.

Overnight and early morning rains had ensured that there was moisture and dampness in the air and the ball moved around even though it was the fourth day. North lost overnight Khajuria in the first over and from there it was hard to recover. North Zone folded for 361 in 100.1 overs and conceded a 175-run lead on the first innings to South Zone who had scored 536 in their first innings.

South Zone now face Central Zone in the final from September 11. Central also advanced in first innings lead over West Zone. West had made 438 but Central responded with 600 all out. Though there were no centuries, six Central batsmen scored half-centuries.

Brief Scores

South Zone 536 and 95/1 vs North Zone 361

Tags : Jagadeesan, Cricket, Duleep Trophy, Ayush Badoni, South Zone, Nishant Sindhu, Gurjapneet Singh, North Zone