Mayank double century puts South Zone on top

Bangalorean Mayank Agarwal slammed 13 sixes and 22 fours while notching a double ton and put on a 300-plus stand with fellow-opener K Rohit to place South Zone on top in their Vizzy Trophy inter-university inter-zonal final against North Zone here today.

Agarwal, who plays for IPL team Royal Challengers, took his time to reach his first hundred and then blazed his way to 235 while adding 328 for the first wicket with Rohit, who made 109. Replying to North’s first innings score of 365, South ended day two of the four-day tie at 417 for three.

The 20-year-old Agarwal, who had toured Australia with the India under-19 squad in 2009 and played in the World Cup the following year in New Zealand, got to 100 in 117 minutes and 102 balls with 13 fours and two sixes.

Then he went into overdrive to race to 200 in another 87 minutes and 73 balls with the help of seven more sixes and eight additional fours at the Wankhede stadium.

In all, Agarwal batted for just over 200 minutes before being dismissed. The partnership between Agarwal and Rohit, who played second fiddle and hit eight fours in 249 balls, came off 375 balls and in 192 minutes. It was finally broken by Charanjeet Singh, who dismissed both openers as well as K Sumanth (0), a double centurion in the semifinal against West Zone, to end the day with figures of three for 94.

Brief scores: North Zone 365 all out vs South Zone: 417 for 3 (Mayank Agarwal 235, K Rohit 109; Charanjeet Singh 3-94).