<p>Yusuf's phenomenal unbeaten 210, his maiden first class double century, steered West Zone to a sensational win as they scored 541 for seven to lift the Duleep Trophy for the 16th time on an eventful final day's play.<br /><br />The win marked the highest successful run chase in the history of first class cricket although the total, 541 for seven, is not the highest fourth-innings total.<br />Teams have scored more runs in their fourth innings in the past but they never resulted in a victory.<br /><br />England had scored 654 for five while chasing 696 to win against South Africa in Durban way back in 1938-39. The match was drawn after 10 days.<br /><br />Maharashtra had scored 604 in their second innings while chasing an impossible 959 to win against the then Bombay in 1948-49 in Poona, now Pune.<br /><br />Everything depended on Yusuf when West resumed at 379 for six and he did not disappoint his team and fans as he stood their like a rock till the job was done.<br /><br />Resuming at the individual score of 84 along with other overnight partner Pinal Shah, Yusuf cashed in on the three dropped chance and made South Zone bowlers pay heavily. <br /><br />Soon after completing his century he was dropped by C Ganapthy off his own bowling when the batsman was on 102 and then KB Pawan grassed a sitter off Aushik Sriniwas when the Baroda marauder was on 125.<br />Ganapthy produced another chance when Yusuf was on 170 and this time the offender was Muralidharen Gautam.<br />Yusuf's 210 came at an incredible strike rate of 110.52, after consuming 190 balls. His knock was bejewelled with 19 fours and 10 sixes.<br />Shah (16) supported Yusuf well although he did not contribute much runs as he negotiated 116 balls, giving ample time to his explosive partner to play his strokes.<br />By the time Shah was trapped by Alfred Absolem, they had put up 105 runs for the seventh wicket, closing in the gap with the mammoth target.<br />Ramesh Powar stepped in and proved another useful ally for Yusuf as he hit a brisk unbeaten 18, which eased the pressure on the senior Pathan.<br />Yusuf reached his double hundred in style, hitting Rohan Prem for successive sixes and finished off the match in similar fashion, hitting a long on six off S Aravind. <br /><br /><br />Scoreboard <br />South Zone 1st Innings: 400<br />West Zone 1st Innings: 251<br />South Zone 2nd Innings: 386/9 decl<br /><br />West Zone 2nd Innings: (Overnight 379/6)<br />CR Pathak b Absolem 130<br />HH Khadiwale c Gautam b Anirudha 45<br />W Jaffer lbw b Ganapathy 66<br />BD Thaker c Gautam b Aravind 0<br />Y Pathan not out 210<br />RA Jadeja b Aushik Srinivas 1<br />I Pathan b Absolem 42<br />PR Shah c & b Prem 16<br />RR Powar not out 18<br />Extras (B-2, LB-1, W-4, NB-6) 13<br />Total (for 7 wickets in 136.3 overs) 541<br />Fall of wickets: 1-117, 2-224, 3-239, 4-263, 5-294, 6-378, 7-483.<br />Bowling: C Ganapathy 33-7-96-1, A Absolem 23-2-79-2, S Aravind 24.3-3-99-1, R Aushik Srinivas 37-4-157-1, S Anirudha 3-0-14-1, PR Prem 13-1-81-1, AB Karthik 3-0-12-0.</p>
<p>Yusuf's phenomenal unbeaten 210, his maiden first class double century, steered West Zone to a sensational win as they scored 541 for seven to lift the Duleep Trophy for the 16th time on an eventful final day's play.<br /><br />The win marked the highest successful run chase in the history of first class cricket although the total, 541 for seven, is not the highest fourth-innings total.<br />Teams have scored more runs in their fourth innings in the past but they never resulted in a victory.<br /><br />England had scored 654 for five while chasing 696 to win against South Africa in Durban way back in 1938-39. The match was drawn after 10 days.<br /><br />Maharashtra had scored 604 in their second innings while chasing an impossible 959 to win against the then Bombay in 1948-49 in Poona, now Pune.<br /><br />Everything depended on Yusuf when West resumed at 379 for six and he did not disappoint his team and fans as he stood their like a rock till the job was done.<br /><br />Resuming at the individual score of 84 along with other overnight partner Pinal Shah, Yusuf cashed in on the three dropped chance and made South Zone bowlers pay heavily. <br /><br />Soon after completing his century he was dropped by C Ganapthy off his own bowling when the batsman was on 102 and then KB Pawan grassed a sitter off Aushik Sriniwas when the Baroda marauder was on 125.<br />Ganapthy produced another chance when Yusuf was on 170 and this time the offender was Muralidharen Gautam.<br />Yusuf's 210 came at an incredible strike rate of 110.52, after consuming 190 balls. His knock was bejewelled with 19 fours and 10 sixes.<br />Shah (16) supported Yusuf well although he did not contribute much runs as he negotiated 116 balls, giving ample time to his explosive partner to play his strokes.<br />By the time Shah was trapped by Alfred Absolem, they had put up 105 runs for the seventh wicket, closing in the gap with the mammoth target.<br />Ramesh Powar stepped in and proved another useful ally for Yusuf as he hit a brisk unbeaten 18, which eased the pressure on the senior Pathan.<br />Yusuf reached his double hundred in style, hitting Rohan Prem for successive sixes and finished off the match in similar fashion, hitting a long on six off S Aravind. <br /><br /><br />Scoreboard <br />South Zone 1st Innings: 400<br />West Zone 1st Innings: 251<br />South Zone 2nd Innings: 386/9 decl<br /><br />West Zone 2nd Innings: (Overnight 379/6)<br />CR Pathak b Absolem 130<br />HH Khadiwale c Gautam b Anirudha 45<br />W Jaffer lbw b Ganapathy 66<br />BD Thaker c Gautam b Aravind 0<br />Y Pathan not out 210<br />RA Jadeja b Aushik Srinivas 1<br />I Pathan b Absolem 42<br />PR Shah c & b Prem 16<br />RR Powar not out 18<br />Extras (B-2, LB-1, W-4, NB-6) 13<br />Total (for 7 wickets in 136.3 overs) 541<br />Fall of wickets: 1-117, 2-224, 3-239, 4-263, 5-294, 6-378, 7-483.<br />Bowling: C Ganapathy 33-7-96-1, A Absolem 23-2-79-2, S Aravind 24.3-3-99-1, R Aushik Srinivas 37-4-157-1, S Anirudha 3-0-14-1, PR Prem 13-1-81-1, AB Karthik 3-0-12-0.</p>