Wasim Jaffer hit a classy hundred to hand West Zone a 95-run first innings lead over South Zone on day two of the Duleep Trophy encounter at the Moti bagh stadium in Baroda on Friday.
After a shaky start, West recovered to a healthy 314 for eight, thanks mainly to Jaffer's contribution of 133 from 197 balls.
West Zone, resumed their innings in the morning at four for two while chasing South Zone's total of 219. Laxmipathy Balaji, having provided South Zone with the first two wickets, quickly added the third to his bag when he had Maharashtra opener Dheeraj Jadhav lbw for one.
But Mumbai's Jaffer, moved down the order from his regular opening position, took the challenge to the opposition camp, slamming fifteen fours and three sixes. He held sway for West, though the rest of the middle-order also collapsed after a flimsy resistance.
Jaffer's elegance then found a suitable partner in the gritty Parthiv Patel.
The wicket-keeper batsman, also during his time with the Indian team, had showed a great heart for fight. With Jaffer's masterly strokes taking the pressure off the team, Patel also indulged in a few big hits to score a brisk 56 from 79 balls.
The two batsmen not only defied South's bowling, but created scoring opportunites for themselves against the spinners as they build a partnership of 145 runs for the sixth wicket.
After their departure, former Mumbai mates Sairaj Bahutule and Ramesh Powar pushed hard for a handy lead for the West Zone. Powar, for a change, scored a patient 41, and with Bahutule (31 not out) recorded a 65-run stand for the eighth wicket to take West past 300.
Scorecard
South Zone 1st innings: 219
West Zone 1st innings
DS Jadhav lbw b Balaji 1
SS Parab b Balaji 1
RB Patel c Karthik b Balaji 1
W Jaffer lbw b Ojha 133
JJ Martin c Laxman b Uthappa 19
NK Patel c Asnodkar b Ojha 11
+PA Patel lbw b Sriram 56
RR Powar c Ojha b Sahabuddin 41
*SV Bahutule not out 31
Z Khan not out 8
Extras 12
Total 314 for 8
To Bat: Munaf Patel.
Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Parab, 2.2), 2-4 (R Patel, 4.4), 3-5 (Jadhav, 6.1), 4-44 (Martin, 28.6), 5-79 (N Patel, 40.2), 6-224 (P Patel, 67.6), 7-235 (Jaffer, 70.1), 8-302 (Powar, 91.4).
Bowling: Balaji 21 9 36 3, Sahabuddin 23 5 73 1, Uthappa 6 1 15 1, Ramkumar 16.5 2 61 0, Ojha 16.1 1 67 2, Sriram 12 1 55 1
