Central skittle out South for 141
A 72-run unbeaten stand for the third wicket steered Central Zone to 178 for two in their
first innings, after bowling out South Zone for 141, on
the opening day of the four-day Duleep Trophy cricket
match in Panaji, Goa, on Thursday.
After Central skipper Amay Khurasia (51) was caught by
Vijay Bharadwaj off Ashish Kapoor, and J P Yadav was run-out
for eight, the other opener Gagan Khoda (batting on 87, with 10
fours and three sixes) and Mohammed Kaif (batting on 28, with
four fours) took charge and were engaged in an unbeaten 72-run partnership for the third wicket as Central scored 178 for the loss of two wickets by close, thus taking a first innings lead of 37 runs.
Khoda faced 148 balls in 176 minutes and Kaif 60 balls
in 64 minutes before stumps were drawn.
Earlier, electing to bat after winning the toss, South
were dismissed for a paltry 141 shortly after lunch.
The pace attack of Devendra Bundela (four for 58) and J P Yadav (three for 46) saw them cave in tamely.
South, led by V V S Laxman, as Rahul Dravid is reportedly down with flu, made a poor start,
losing their first wicket for just 17 runs. They then lost wickets at regular intervals and were 62 for
five before Vijay Bharadwaj (50) and Sunil Joshi (17) came to
the team's rescue with a 42-run stand for the sixth wicket to take the score to 104 for six before being all out for 141
off 42.5 overs.
Scoreboard
South Zone (1st innings): 141 all out
S Sriram c Yere Goud b Bundela 14
T Nand Kishore b Bundela 2
V V S Laxman c R Jalani b Bundela 10
Hemang Badani c R Jalani b S Srivastava 5
Vijay Bharadwaj c M Kartik b J P Yadav 50
Tilak Naidu c R Jalani b J P Yadav 4
Sunil Joshi b M Kartik 17
Ashish Kapoor c Jalani b Bundela 10
J Srinath run-out 0
V Raju c R Jalani b J P Yadav 8
Venkatesh Prasad not out 0
Extras: (LB-5, NB-16) 21
Total: (all out in 42.5 overs) 141
Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-18, 3-31, 4-43, 5-62, 6-104, 7-124,
8-126, 9-143.
Central Zone (1st innings): 178 for two
J P Yadav run-out 8
Gagan Khoda not out 87
A Khurasia c V Bharadwaj b A Kapoor 51
M Kaif not out 28
Extras: (lb-4) 04
Total: (for 2 wickets in 45 overs) 178
Fall of wickets : 1-8, 2-106
Bowling: J Srinath 8-1-33-0, V Prasad
12-2-40-0, A Kapoor 12-1-57-1, S Joshi 7-2-26-0,
V Raju 5-2-13-0, V Bharadwaj 1-0-5-0.
Mail Cricket Editor
