Duleep Trophy: West Zone in command after Central’s first-innings collapse

West Zone batters built on the good work done by its bowlers on the second day against Central Zone as the defending champions took control of the Duleep Trophy semifinal at the Alur (I) Cricket Ground. Suryakumar Yadav and Cheteshwar Pujara scored half-centuries as a free-stroking West ended with a 241-run lead after it had bundled out Central for 128

West Zone batters built on the good work done by its bowlers on the second day against Central Zone as the defending champions took control of the Duleep Trophy semifinal at the Alur (I) Cricket Ground in Bengaluru on Thursday.

Suryakumar Yadav and Cheteshwar Pujara scored half-centuries as a free-stroking West ended with a 241-run lead after it had bundled out Central for 128, with Arzan Nagwaswalla claiming a five-wicket haul.

After earning a 92-run first-innings lead, West started strongly with Prithvi Shaw striking some nonchalant boundaries.

But Central struck back by removing Shaw and his opening partner Priyank Panchal in quick succession, bringing Pujara and Suryakumar together.

The duo eased their way into the game with some classy shot-making. Even the usually restrained Pujara unleashed a few, including a masterful cut shot off Yash Thakur. Suryakumar raced to his fifty before falling to the wily left-arm spin of Saurabh Kumar.

Pujara soon got to his fifty as he and Sarfaraz Khan saw out the rest of the day untroubled.

Central skipper Shivam Mavi began the day at full throttle as he wrapped up West’s first innings quickly, with two quick wickets to complete his six-wicket haul.