Prabhsimran Singh’s pristine hundred (121 off 107 balls) and Nitish Rana’s 4 for 48 arrange North Zone’s 48-run win over Central Zone in a second-round Deodhar Trophy match on the Cricket Association of Puducherry (CAP) Ground 2 right here on Wednesday.
Rana struck twice in 4 balls to interrupt the backbone of Central’s line-up after it appeared like it might make a fist of the 308-run chase, cruising because it was at 197 for 3 in 35 overs.
But Rana had different plans. After catching Yash Dubey (78, 92b, 10×4) leg-before, he despatched Rinku Singh packing for a golden duck by inducing a forefront to the cover-fielder off a supply that stopped on the batter. In utter disbelief, the left-hander trudged again as a pall of gloom descended over the Central dugout and the handful of followers who had gathered to witness the miracle-man in motion.
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Coming to the crease along with his facet needing 111 to win in lower than 15 overs, Central skipper Venkatesh Iyer struggled to place bat to ball, repeatedly slashing laborious outdoors off to no avail, for a stuttering 28-ball 11.
Earlier, Shivam Chaudhary (51, 60b, 5×4, 1×6) and Dubey compiled a 99-run stand for the second wicket in fast time. Their fifties have been contrasting in look however not substance. While Chaudhary prolonged his lengthy levers, Dubey was a delight for purists, punching by means of the off-side and pushing the fuller deliveries to the fence.
Upendra Yadav impressed with a 55-ball 52, irritating spinners by slicing the ball late and beating brief third to search out the boundary on plenty of events. It took a shocking diving catch by Vivrant Sharma at midwicket to dismiss him, following which Central’s batting caved.
Earlier, after being inserted, North Zone openers Abhishek Sharma and Prabhsimran ensured the pacers had little to rejoice regardless of overcast circumstances within the morning. The first run they ran for got here solely within the seventh over, however they collected the odd boundary to notch up 44 within the first 10 overs.
Venkatesh introduced himself on and tasted success off his third supply when Abhishek edged behind poking outdoors off. But Prabhsimran compelled Venkatesh out of the assault a few overs later as he gently dabbed the ball to the third-man boundary for 2 fours and pulled with authority for a six in a 14-run over.
When Karn Sharma changed Venkatesh, Prabhsimran received into place early and swept the leg-spinner for a 4 after which punched him down the bottom for an additional to succeed in his 51-ball 50. The 22-year-old added 87 runs for the second wicket with Himanshu Rana, who contributed 24 largely owing to 2 fours off the skin edge earlier than middling a drive straight to the extra-cover fielder.
Prabhsimran had the abdomen for a struggle. After Yash Thakur despatched down a bouncer, the batter from Punjab stepped out and slapped a 4 by means of covers earlier than charging at Venkatesh and launching him inside out for a six to maneuver into the nineties. He went into overdrive after reaching his hundred off 92 balls, sweeping and pulling left-arm spinner Aditya Sarvate for back-to-back fours and punishing Aniket Choudhary and Shivam Mavi’s overpitched deliveries with wrists of metal.
Eventually, an aberrant heave large outdoors off was Prabhsimran’s undoing however that didn’t permit Central any respiratory room. Skipper Rana, who had struggled to time the ball on the different finish of their 67-run alliance, reduce free after his departure, sweeping and slicing Karn and acing a ramp shot off Thakur, whose tame short-ball ploy fell nicely in need of success.
Rana’s run out (51 off 50 balls) precipitated a collapse as North misplaced 5 wickets for 43 runs and will solely muster 66 within the final 10 overs, which was finally sufficient.
THE SCORES
North Zone 307/8 in 50 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 121, Nitish Rana 51, Mandeep Singh 43) bt. Central Zone 259 in 47.4 overs (Shivam Chaudhary 51, Yash Dubey 78, Upendra Yadav 52; Nitish Rana 4/48, Mayank Yadav 3/47). Toss: Central.
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com