Duleep Trophy: Harsh Dubey and Upendra Yadav’s important fifties handed Central Zone an important first-innings lead against West Zone, setting the stage for a potential Duleep Trophy final spot.
At the time of stumps on Day 3 of the semifinal, Central were 556 for eight, leading by 118 runs.
At stumps on Day 3 of the semifinal, Central were 556 for eight, leading by 118 runs. Saransh Jain (37*) and Yash Thakur (4*) were unbeaten at the crease as stumps were drawn on Day 1, following Deepak Chahar’s removal in the penultimate over.
Yadav (87, 181 balls) and Dubey (75, 93 balls) stitched up a 134-run alliance for the sixth wicket that took the match away from West Zone.
The Maharashtra all-rounder Dubey was brisk in his approach from early on, starting his innings with a flurry of boundaries, five of them in his first 25 runs.
Yadav, who was given a life on 37 when he was dropped at gully by Aarya Desai off left-arm spinner Dharmendra Jadeja (4/101), brought up his fifty in 84 balls.
Dharmendra Jadeja’s four-wicket haul was spoiled when Aarya Desai dropped Upendra Yadav at gully, and the batter went on to score a half-century in 84 balls.
The partnership also helped Central inch past West’s first innings total of 438, when Dubey rattled pacer Arzan Nagwaswalla for a boundary, and the Central dressing room embraced the moment with claps and cheers.
Starting from the overnight score of 229 for two, Central skipper Rajat Patidar (77) and Shubham Sharma (96) seemed stable as their alliance soon surged to 127.
But the charge eventually unfastened Patidar as he miscued a sweep against Jadeja to get clean-bowled and his removal helped West grab two more quick wickets to come back into the match.
Yash Rathod (2) went back in the pavilion after Ruturaj Gaikwad bagged a sensational catch at slip off Jadeja and Shubham got run out while trying to squeeze in a tight single.
Unexpectedly, the Central found themselves at 322 for five from the cosier 287 for two and they were an uneasy lot until Dubey and Yadav lent demand to their innings.
Despite losing three wickets in the space of 35 runs, Central drove to score 129 runs in the first session in 36 overs to close the gap with West.