Central finish second

Central finish second
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

PANAJI, FEBRUARY 4: Central zone won by an innings and 14 runs after they shot out South Zone for 395 in their second knock off 127.1 overs on the final day of the four-day Duleep Trophy (league) cricket match here on Sunday.

South’s fight back almost fizzled out when S Sriram, who scored a valuable 150 runs, was caught by Central skipper Amay Khurasia off the bowling of Devendra Bundela shortly before tea break.

Sriram and Vijay Bharadwaj had added 128 runs for the third wicket yesterday and today he added another 57 runs for eighth wicket with Hemang Badani.Resuming at the overnight score of 204 for four with Sriram (batting 102) and Sunil Joshi (batting 18), South lost the fifth wicket that of Joshi, who run out for 45 which included four fours and two sixes at the score of 234.

Just after adding a run South lost Ashish Kapoor (0), adjudged lbw to J P Yadav.After the departure of Sriram, who hit 20 boundaries and faced 329 balls during his 471 minutes stay at the crease with the score reading 337 for eight, Venkatesh Prasad (24) and Badani (48 with six fours and a six) were involved in a last ditch battle adding 45 runs for the ninth wicket. Badani departed at 392 while Prasad was the last man out.

Central Zone had made 550 for seven declared in their first innings while South were shot out for a paltry 141 runs in their first innings. Play was delayed by 45 minutes late due to early morning fog.

For Central veteran leg spinner Narendra Hirwani wasthe most successful bowler taking three for 115. Javagal Srinath, Badani and Prasad being his victims.Rahul Kanwat (two for 48), D Bundela (two for 35) and J P Yadav (two for 46) were the other wicket takers. With this win Central moved to the second position behind winners North zone.

Scoreboard vSouth zone (1st Innings) 141
Central zone: 550 for 7 declared

South zone: (2nd Innings, overnight score of 204 for 4): S Sriram c Khurasia b Bundela 150, S Joshi run out 45, A Kapoor lbw Yadav 0; J Srinath c Srivastava b Hirwani 30, H Badani c Kaif b Hirwani 48, V Prasad st Jalani b Hirwani 24; V Raju not out 2; Extras 32 (b-3, lb-2, w-1, nb-26), Total 395 all out in 127.1 overs
Fall of Wicket : 5/234, 6/235, 7/280, 8/337, 9/392, 10/395

Bowling: Devendra Bundela 17-4-35-2, Salabh Srivastava 17-3-62-0, Jaiprakash Yadav 23-7-46-2, Murali Kartik 23-6-84-0; Narendra Hirwani 27.1-6-115-3; Rahul Kanwat 20-2-48-2