Duleep Trophy: Mavi and Sheth hog the limelight as Central Zone puts a squeeze on West Zone in the semifinal

Solidity: Atit Sheth’s innings rescued West Zone after its top-order failed to build partnerships.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTOS: K. PICHUMANI

On a windy day, where it threatened to rain constantly, Central Zone restricted the much-fancied West Zone to 216 for eight on the first day of the Duleep Trophy semifinal at the Alur (1) Cricket Ground in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

Central skipper Shivam Mavi led from the front with a four-wicket haul as all-rounder Atit Sheth scored a battling half-century to rescue his side after its vaunted top order crumbled after it won the toss.

West began the day sedately with its openers — skipper Priyank Panchal and Prithvi Shaw — mostly in control.

Shaw was the first to fall after he tried to take on left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar with a backfoot punch, which was intercepted by Jurel with his pads at silly point before he completed the catch. Panchal followed soon after he was trapped in front by Yash Thakur.

Mavi bowled an inspired second spell and was rewarded with the prized wickets of Suryakumar Yadav and Sarfaraz Khan. Avesh Khan then dismantled Het Patel’s stumps with an in-winging yorker to leave West reeling at 65 for five.

Avesh’s involvement though would soon end after he and Rinku Singh left the field injured, following a collision between the two while attempting a catch.

All this while, Cheteshwar Pujara had batted himself into the game, employing his immaculate defence. The Saurashtra batter and Sheth looked steady in their 45-run partnership before Pujara edged Mavi to first slip.

Sheth then stitched up a 73-run partnership with Dharmendrasinh Jadeja to drag West to safety, with the former cracking some perfectly-timed boundaries.

Central regained control of the game with off-spinner Saransh Jain getting Jadeja caught at short leg.

Mavi would return with the second new ball to find Sheth’s outside edge, which was gobbled up by Jurel. Chintan Gaja and Arzan Nagwaswalla though ensured West saw out the rest of the day.

The scores:

West Zone — 1st innings: Prithvi Shaw c Jurel b Saurabh 26, Priyank Panchal lbw b Yash 13, Cheteshwar Pujara c Khare b Mavi 28, Suryakumar Yadav c Jurel b Mavi 7, Sarfaraz Khan b Mavi 0, Het Patel b Avesh 5, Atit Sheth c Jurel b Mavi 74, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja c Khare b Saransh 39, Chintan Gaja (batting) 13, Arzan Nagwaswalla (batting) 5; Extras (lb-4, nb-2) 6; Total (fr eight wkts. in 90 overs): 216.

Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-43, 3-56, 4-56, 5-65, 6-110, 7-183, 8-203.

Central Zone bowling: Mavi 18-7-43-4, Avesh 11-4-26-1, Yash Thakur 19-5-50-1, Saurabh 27-6-64-1, Saransh 15-6-29-1

Toss: West Zone.