Published: Oct 29, 2014, 12:01 PM (IST)
Edited: Oct 29, 2014, 12:01 PM (IST)
Oct 29, 2014
Central Zone went into lunch on Day One of the Duleep Trophy 2014-15 final in Delhi at 75 for one. Faiz Fazal fought out the first session and has Robin Bisht for company. South Zone used their pace bowlers to keep Central Zone under control. Having made the trek to Delhi, South Zone would have been happy to see the surface at the Feroz Shah Kotla. It was like Lahli, with grass on the surface to aid the fast bowlers. And, Central Zone, having come from a run-fest at Mohali, elected to bat first.
Jalaj Saxena opened the batting with Fazal and it was attritional cricket to start. Both batsmen were happy to leave deliveries outside the off-stump. There were long periods without a run being scored and it only showed the bite in the surface. Bisht came in to bat at No 3 and he too was happy to leave deliveries outside the off-stump. R Vinay Kumar had dismissed Saxena for a 43-ball vigil of two. It was a decision that surprised Saxena as he walked back to the pavilion.
It was only towards the end of the session that Pragyan Ojha and Shreyas Gopal, the two spinners, were brought into play. Their arrival broke the shackles a little bit as the batsmen found it much easier to score. To add to a bit of drama, Robin Uthappa came on to bowl later in the session. By then, both batsmen were in and playing their shots. They were ready to charge down the ground and brought up their 50-run stand.
Brief scores:
Central Zone 75 for 1 (Faiz Fazal 45*, Robin Bisht 26*; R Vinay Kumar 1 for 12) vs South Zone.
