North Zone consolidated their position in the Duleep Trophy match after they were able to reduce Central Zone to 141-5 at stumps on day 2 after they piled up a mammoth 451 in the first innings.
A report in the Deccan Chronicle says that Yuvraj Singh staked a claim for a Test berth with a brilliant double century as North Zone assumed total control of their Duleep Trophy semifinal against Central Zone, being at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium, on Monday.
Resuming at 346/4, North Zone added 105 to their tally with 75 coming off Yuvraj’s blade before being all out for 451 on the second day.
Central began their reply well before a mini-collapse pushed them onto the backfoot as they ended the second day at 146/5.
Meanwhile The Times of India writes that, Yuvraj felt just two runs short of a new milestone -- 209 against South Zone in Faridabad in the 2001-2002 season is his highest -- and every run that he got and each minute (333 in all) that he spent at the crease was worth its weight in gold.
Though North faltered at the end of their innings, the 451 they put on the board seems to be enough against Central, who are reeling at 146 for five at stumps on Day Two.
Yuvraj, who looked worn out by the end of the first day's play, came out to bat with renewed purpose. With the conditions aiding the medium-pacers, the 30-year-old played the waiting game before taking on the rival attack.
Central tasted early blood when medium-pacer Praveen Kumar trapped Paras Dogra (37; 68b, 6x4) in the fifth over of the day. In the next over, Bhuvneshwar Kumar got Rishi Dhawan (3), skipper Mohd Kaif taking a brilliant catch at cover to put North on the back foot. A couple of overs later Amit Mishra (3) too went, trapped leg before by left-arm spinner Murali Kartik and four runs later Kartik castled Rahul Sharma (0) to reduce North to 390 for eight.
Yuvraj at this point was on 163 and it looked as if he would run out of partners but Ishant Sharma stayed long enough for the southpaw to notch up the double century. Yuvraj, knowing that he didn't have enough time on hand, went after the bowling and began to trade in boundaries. He brought up his double century with a four (his 32nd) -- a paddle shot to fine leg off Kartik.
Kartik had the last laugh as he held on to Yuvraj's uppish drive in his follow through. The star batsman faced 241 balls, struck 33 fours and three sixes and scored 49 in the 51-run stand for the 10th wicket.