Duleep Trophy | Centurion Khajuria keeps North afloat

Shubham Khajuria (128 batting, 245b, 20×4, 1×6) displayed dogged resilience even as North Zone suffered a late blip in its Duleep Trophy semifinal against South Zone at the BCCI CoE Ground (1) here on Friday.

Opener Khajuria gave his side hope, in the face of South Zone’s mammoth 536 total. The Jammu and Kashmir opener batted through the day to guide his side to 278 for five.

Late jolts

The task ahead for North Zone on the final day could have been a lot easier, if not for the loss of two late wickets.

After providing able support to Khajuria in a 171-run fourth-wicket stand, Nishant Sindhu (82, 148b, 9×4, 1×6) fell with less than half an hour to go for close of play.

Sindhu paid the price for a rash stroke, attempting an uppercut off pacer Gurjapneet Singh which landed in the hands of deep third-man.

Two overs later, South Zone was right back in it, when sharp fielding from captain Mohammed Azharuddeen caught Kanhaiya Wadhawan short of the crease. From a comfortable 272 for three, North Zone slipped to a nervy 272 for five. The visitor, which needs 258 runs to erase the innings deficit, will take comfort in the presence of the steady Khajuria.

There was an injury scare for South’s Salman Nizar, who was struck on the leg when fielding at silly point. Salman was carried off the ground

by two teammates, as the medical personnel could not be found.

He was then taken in an ambulance for treatment, and returned to the ground late in the day.

In the adjacent BCCI CoE Ground (2), Central Zone overhauled West Zone’s 438-run first-innings total. Overnight batters Shubham Sharma

(96) and Rajat Patidar (77) started well, but the bulk of the heavy lifting was done by Upendra Yadav (87, 181b, 8×4, 2×4) and Harsh Dubey (75, 93b, 13×4). The duo came together with Central in a tricky spot at 322 for five, and took the team to safety with a 134-run sixth-wicket partnership.

Barring a miracle, Central — sitting on a lead of 118 runs — is sure to reach the final.

The scores: At BCCI CoE Ground (1): South Zone 536 vs North Zone 278/5 in 79 overs (Shubham Khajuria 128 batting, Ayush Badoni 40, Nishant Sindhu 82, Gurjapneet Singh 3/67).

At BCCI CoE Ground (2): West Zone 438 vs Central Zone 556/8 in 157 overs (Ayush Pandey 40, Danish Malewar 76, Shubham Sharma 96, Rajat Patidar 77, Upendra Yadav 87, Harsh Dubey 75, Saransh Jain 37 batting, Deepak Chahar 33, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja 4/101).