After Yuvraj Singh ad Shikhar Dhawan’s heroi which saw North Zone piling up a mammoth, it was the turn for the Central Zone to turn up the heat. Riding on Bhuvaneshwar Kumar’s century, Central Zone are 10 runs short from taking a first innings lead.
A report in The Times of India writes that After being in the driver's seat for more than two-and-a-half days, North Zone got the jolt of their lives in the final session of play on Day 3 here on Tuesday and their hopes of making it to the final of the Duleep Trophy now hang by mere nine runs.
In a dramatic turn of events, the post-lunch session produced one of the most remarkable fightbacks in domestic cricket as the last pair of Bhuvneshwar Kumar (120; 225b, 12x4, 3x6) and Rituraj Singh (21; 38b, 3x4, 1x6) rubbed North noses in the dust with an unbeaten century partnership to take Central Zone within sniffing distance of taking the all-important first innings lead.
Central were 442 for nine at stumps on the penultimate day of play and require another 10 runs to book their berth in the summit clash. It could still be anyone's game on Wednesday as morning conditions will be favourable to the medium-pacers. With Central having just one wicket in hand, North should still seal it but on the evidence of the last two hours of play on Tuesday, it will not be a wonder if Central pull it off.
With the wicket easing up a lot, it was not going to be a test of technique but of temperament. Bhuvneshwar and Rituraj scored big on this count. They displayed amazing character to take up the challenge and come through the day's play with their heads high. Their rivals will surely have a sleepless night.
Meanwhile a report in The Hindu says that Bhuvneshwar Kumar could not have timed his maiden first-class century better as his gutsy innings (120 batting, 263 min, 225 balls, 12x4, 3x6) helped Central Zone stay in the race for the vital first innings lead against North Zone on the third day of the Duleep Trophy semifinal here on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old cricketer from Kanpur showed great fighting spirit during his unbeaten ton. He was instrumental in taking the Central team’s score from 342 for nine (in reply to North’s 451), to a being very close to taking the lead.
Bhuvneshwar was on 45 when the ninth wicket fell. Along with 21-year-old Rituraj Singh of Jaipur (21 batting, 38 balls, 3x4, 1x6) he put on an unbroken 100 runs for the last wicket.
The stand could be a reflection of the lack of bite — both in the pitch and also in the bowling attack which included India stars Ishant Sharma, leg-spin duo of Amit Mishra and Rahul Sharma.
Earlier, captain Mohd Kaif (63, 178 balls, 7x4) and Mahesh Rawat (71, 131 balls, 9x4) demonstrated — during their 102-run stand for the sixth wicket — that there was nothing in the docile pitch which offered assistance to any bowler.