Rahul Dravid (118) and Dinesh Karthik (103) combined to rescue South Zone from a top-order collapse, guiding them to a 348-run second innings lead against Central Zone on the third and penultimate day of their Duleep Trophy match in Bangalore on Saturday.
Captain Mohammad Kaif (73) and wicketkeeper Naman Ojha (85) struck half-centuries as Central Zone recovered from a top order collapse to trail South Zone by just three runs on the second day of the Duleep Trophy match at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore on Friday. At draw of stumps, Central were 326 for 9 in reply to South's 329 all out.
Young Gujarat off-spinner Mohnish Parmar was today omitted from the West Zone Duleep Trophy squad despite claiming 52 first class wickets in the current season in 11 ties at under-20 per victim.
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has indicated that this year's Indian Premier League could be conducted in empty stadiums, insisting that all possible options are being explored to ensure that the suspended event does take place despite the COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter to all the affiliated units sent late on Wednesday after the ICC Board meeting, Ganguly seemed confident of an IPL this year despite its current status of being indefinitely suspended because of the raging pandemic, which has claimed more than 8,000 lives in India.
Brilliant bowling by offie Yusuf Pathan (five for 35) and medium pacer Siddharth Trivedi (four for 28) helped West Zone move to the finals of the Duleep Trophy notching up a dramatic nine-wicket victory over England Lions on the fourth and final day of their group 'B' match, played at the Motibaug Palace Cricket Ground in Vadodara on Thursday.
A solid knock of 64 runs by captain Mohammed Kaif helped the Central Zone score 238 for seven on the opening day of their four-day Duleep Trophy cricket tie against visiting side England Lions in Vadodara on Sunday.
The England all-rounder will not play the Duleep Trophy matches, but will continue his rehabilitation from ankle surgery.
A sparkling century by allrounder Yusuf Pathan and useful fifties by openers helped West Zone pile up 349 for seven wickets against Central Zone on the opening day of their four day Duleep Trophy match in Rajkot on Saturday.
Mohammad Shami and Wriddhiman Saha are among the India players, who will get a first-hand experience of day/night cricket with the pink ball when local giants Mohun Bagan and Bhowanipore Club meet in Cricket Association of Bengal's Super League final, starting Saturday.
North Zone openers Jiwanjot Singh and Unmukt Chand made a cautious start as they reached 33 for no loss against East Zone with only 17 overs of play possible on a rain-curtailed first day of the Duleep Trophy semi-final in Kochi.
Young Tamil Nadu all-rounder Washington Sundar, who has impressed in recent times but had failed the Yo-Yo test, said he is hopeful of clearing it in the future.
It would be an understatement to say that North Zone is favourites to retain their Duleep Trophy title.
North Zone rallied after being reduced to 274 for 9 to take a 66 runs first innings lead over West on Day 2 of the Duleep Trophy final.
North Zone were 53 without loss, in reply to West's 274, on the opening day of the Duleep Trophy final.
The West Zone-versus-England Lions Duleep Trophy group match is poised for an exciting finish with the former taking a huge 139-run first innings lead on the penultimate day at the Motibaug Palace Cricket Ground in Vadodara on Wednesday.
North Zone skipper Mithun Manhas scored his maiden double hundred while his Delhi teammate Akash Chopra struck an identical unbeaten 205 to put North Zone in commanding position against East Zone in their four-day Duleep Trophy match in Rajkot on Wednesday.
Giving a strong reply to England Lions' first innings total of 355, West Zone ended the second day of their Duleep Trophy match at the Motibag ground at 187 for one.
An unbeaten knock of 151 by Michael Yardy put England Lions in a strong position on the opening day of the Duleep Trophy match against West Zone at the Motibag ground in Vadodara.
Medium pacer Shib Shankar Paul claimed four wickets for 60 runs as East Zone restricted defending champions North Zone to 260 for 7 on the opening day of the four-day Duleep Trophy match against East Zone.
A solid knock of 112 runs by left-hander bastmen Michel Carberry helped England Lions to score a five wicket win over Central Zone in the Duleep trophy match at the Motibagh ground in Vadodara on Wednesday.
East Zone beat South Zone by 68 runs on the fourth and final day of their Duleep Trophy league match to set up a virtual semi-final with North Zone in their last league match.
Orissa's wicketkeeper-batsman Haladhar Das has impressed all in his Duleep Trophy debut against South Zone.
Set a victory target of 296, England Lions were comfortably placed at 146 for one against Central Zone on the penultimate day of the four-day Duleep Trophy match in Vadodara on Tuesday.
South Zone dismissed East for a modest 163 in the second Innings, after conceding a lead of 109 runs, and then scored 113 for three wickets by close on the penultimate day of the Duleep Trophy match, chasing 273 for victory in a minimum of 120 overs.
England Lions were bundled out for a paltry 155 in the first innings by Central Zone which have taken an overall lead of 138 runs on the second day of the four-day Duleep Trophy cricket match in Vadodara on Monday.
Captain Shiv Sunder Das (82) and wicketkeeper Haladhar Das (78 not out) ensured East Zone reach a respectable total (265/7) at close of play on the opening day of the Duleep Trophy Group A match at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
The tourists won the three-day match, ahead of their Duleep Trophy campaign, by 30 runs, at the Brabourne stadium in Mumbai, on Thursday.
West Zone secured three vital points by virtue of their first innings lead over Central Zone in the four-day Duleep Trophy cricket match which ended in draw at Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Ground in Rajkot on Tuesday.
A defiant 160 by Central Zone skipper Mohd Kaif could not help his side to take all important first inning lead over West Zone in Duleep Trophy as the former were bundled out at 384, 27 runs short of West Zone 411.
Central Zone were 237 for five in their first innings, in reply to West Zone's 411 in the Duleep Trophy.
North Zone medium pacers made most of the grassy wicket at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday, bundling out South Zone for a paltry 157 in the first innings of the Duleep Trophy match.
BCCI has radical plans to allow participation of overseas players in major domestic tournaments.
Rajesh Pawar bowled a devastating spell to capture six wickets as West Zone shot out East for a paltry 171 and then scored 102 for two in reply on the first day of the four-day Duleep Trophy semi-final in Mumbai on Thursday. Mumbai-born Baroda left-arm spinner Pawar triggered a dramatic post-lunch collapse in which East, put in to bat by West, lost wickets in a heap and were bowled out in the second session in 61.3 overs at the Brabourne Stadium.
After being snubbed by the selection committee for the upcoming home Tests series against New Zealand, veteran opener Gautam Gambhir has launched a scathing attack on Twitter. Gambhir has been in phenomenal form in the ongoing Duleep Trophy scorng four half centuries (77, 57, 90 and 94) in the tournament, which features some of India's top cricketers.
The former India wicketkeeper says he needs to bat well to catch the selectors' attention again.
Pathan was part of the inaugural T20 World Cup-winning side in 2007 and also the one that triumphed in the 2011 ODI World Cup at home.
Indian team to stay in Indore for nets under lights
Mumbai ended day one on 283 for five against Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy match on Monday.
Sri Lanka 'A' were 259 for 4 in their second innings, needing another 81 runs to save an innings defeat against North Zone.
