Resuming at 229 for four, Sehwag seemed to be in a devastating form as he slammed one boundary after another during a record 381-run fifth wicket partnership with the sedate Rajiv Nayyar (115 batting) to put the team in the driver's seat.

The Delhi all-rounder blasted 36 boundaries and four sixes during his marathon 416-minute tenure at the crease.

Scoreboard

North Zone (1st innings): Ashu Dani lbw Mahesh 21, Vikram Rathore c&b Raju 12, Reetinder Singh Sodhi lbw Robin Singh 22, Pankaj Dharmani c Ali Khan b Kapoor 59, Virender Sehwag st Siruguppi b Raju 274, Vijay Dahiya c Nanda b Kapoor 8, Rajib Nayar not out 115, Nikhil Chopra not out 4. Extra (b17, lb6, nb13): 36.

Total (for six wickets in 184 overs): 551.

Fall ofwickets: 1-37, 2-43, 3-90, 4-149, 5-530, 6-543.

Bowling: Mahesh 24-3-98-1, Raju 45-14-104-2, Robin Singh 21-4-62-1, Manzoor Khan 17-5-38-0, Joshi 33-5-103-0, Kapoor 43-9-116-2, Sharath 1-0-7-0.