Central Zone complete formalities with a slight hiccup for Duleep Trophy title

Bengaluru: Central Zone joyfully accepted a chaotic 30-minute South Zone collapse late on the fourth day and then charged to their first Duleep Trophy title in 11 years and seventh overall at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence here. 

Central had full of the final day to do the needful but needed just 94 minutes after a few hiccups, as a battling South Zone surrendered to a six-wicket defeat, a more acceptable margin, that seemed improbable for much of the final. 

Having started the fifth day needing 65 runs to win, it seemed like a straightforward victory but hardly looked that way as the hosts were resolute enough to make the small chase competitive.

The last rites of the final turned into a mini tussle, as Gurjapneet Singh (2/21) and Ankit Sharma (2/22) picked four wickets between them. 

The openers Danish Malewar and Akshay Wadkar began the day watchfully, as Gurjapneet found some seam movement while Ankit extracted extra bounce and spin. 

Balls outside the off stump were left alone, while some that were angled in from around the wicket were defended.

The frustration eventually got to the Central Zone batters, leading to the undoing of Malewar (5), who tried to push the ball into the gap, but found the edge into Mohammed Azharuddeen’s gloves. 

After Malewar’s dismissal, Central continued showing some attacking intent but it came without great execution, leading to a few more wickets. 

Consistent

Gurjapneet was rewarded for some consistent and courageous bowling, where he drew Shubham Sharma’s edge on 8 off a ball that seamed away on a length. 

The left-arm quick broke through again as Saransh Jain’s promotion to No.4 failed and lasted just two balls. Skipper Rajat Patidar also walked back after top-edging Ankit on 13. 

Having exposed the top order and opening the gates into the middle, South were unable to derive any further mistakes as Akshay Wadkar (19 not out) and Yash Rathod (13 not out) finally drove Central home in 20.3 overs. 

The end came at 11:04 am and it was fittingly Rathod, the Player-of-the-match for his 194 in the first innings, who signed and sealed it with a drive to the boundary off Vasuki Koushik. 

However, it was the spinners Kumar Kartikeya (8/163) and Saransh Jain (8/179), who laid the groundwork for the victory, all while unfurling their bag of tricks on a surface that appeared flat with something on offer for the spinners.