Jadhav takes West Zone to victory

Opener Dheeraj Jadhav struck an unbeaten half century to guide West Zone to a seven-wicket victory over holders Central Zone and book a berth in the finals of the Duleep Trophy tournament in Aurangabad on Sunday.

Requiring to score 137 to win on a crumbling, under-prepared pitch on which 30 wickets fell on the first two days of the four-day clash, hosts West reached the target well inside three days with Jadhav unbeaten on 57.

West, starting the third day at 2 for no loss, were 81 for 3 when Maharashtra's Jadhav, in the company of seasoned Baroda batsman Jacob Martin (not out 36), steered his team home to 140 for three with an unfinished 59-run stand for the fourth wicket.

West lost Parab to medium pacer Harvinder Singh at 20 before Jadhav and Mumbai opener Wasim Jaffer (25) took the score to 59.

West lost another wicket, that of Parthiv Patel (6) at 81 to raise Central's hopes of a win, before Jadhav and Martin quelled it with the unbeaten fourth wicket half century stand.

West will take on East Zone, who beat Zimbabwe President's XI by an innings and 17 runs at Mumbai, in the five-day final scheduled at Ahmedabad from November 12-16.

Scoreboard:

Central Zone (Ist innings): 206

West Zone (Ist innings): 220

Central Zone (IInd innings): 150

West Zone (IInd innings): (overnight 2 for 0)
S Parab b Harvinder Singh 10
D Jadhav not out 57
W Jaffer c Parida b Abbas Ali 25
P Patel c Yadav b Abbas Ali 6
J Martin not out 36

Extras: (lb 3, nb 3) 6

Total: (for 3 wickets, in 41.1 overs) 140

Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-59, 3-81.

Bowling: Harvinder Singh 9-3-34-1; Bangar 12.1-2-38-0; Bundela 4-1-13-0; Abbas Ali 10-1-24-2; Parida 4-0-13-0; Chawla 2-0-15-0.