Spinners Saransh Jain and Kumar Kartikeya exploited the seemingly indecisive mindset of South Zone batters to split nine wickets between them, handing Central Zone the advantage on Day I of the Duleep Trophy final in Bengaluru.
Off-spinner Jain (5/49) and left-arm orthodox Kartikeya (4/53) bowled 45 overs between them on Thursday, helping Central dismiss South for a lowly 149 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground A. Central reached 50/0 at stumps, trailing by 99. The in-form Danish Malewar (28) and Akshay Wadkar (20) were at the crease, batting with a fair amount of control and discipline.
Jain, who bowled 24 overs on the trot, and Kartikeya, predominantly bowling traditional left-arm spin, were the chief architects for Central’s position of strength. But the tentative approach of South batters also made the spin twins’ job that much easier.
South entered the panic room as early as the 16th over, when opener Mohit Kale (6) decided to play a reckless sweep against Kartikeya to be bowled. It led to a period of fragility, as South lost three more wickets before Lunch to be placed at 64/4 in 33 overs.
The run-out dismissal of opener Tanmay Agarwal (31 off 76 balls) hurt them the most in that session as the opener departed after a mid-pitch collision with partner Ricky Bhui (15). Kartikeya soon got rid of Mohammed Azharuddeen with a peach of a delivery that pitched on the middle-stump line and turned just enough to disturb the South Zone skipper’s off-stump.
But that was a rare moment of brilliance on the day, as South batters continued to live in uncertainty even in the post-Lunch session. The dismissal of C. Andre Siddarth was an example of their doubt-ridden minds.
Siddarth was deceived on the flight while on a premeditative charge against Kartikeya, only to get stumped by keeper Upendra Yadav, who did well to collect the ball bouncing well above his waist.
Brief scores: South Zone 149 (Saransh Jain 5/49, Kumar Kartikeya 4/53). Central Zone
50/0 (Danish Malewar 28 batting). At Stumps, Day I.
Written with PTI inputs