Left-arm orthodox spinner R Sai Kishore's maiden match haul of 10 wickets ensured a staggering 645-run victory for South Zone over North to set up a clash with West Zone in the Duleep Trophy final starting on Wednesday. (More Cricket News)
The margin of victory was one ofಌ the highest in Indian first-class cricket.
West Zone also won their semi-final in commanding fashion beat𒀰ing Central Zone by a comfortable 279-run margin. The final will be played in Coimbatore from September 21, and it will be a five-day affair.
In the South versus North game, the contest was killed by the winning team's batters when they piled up a mammoth 630/8 declared in their first innings, riding on hundreds from opener Rohan Kunnummal, skipper Hanuma Vihari and Ricky Bhui.
Once North were all out for 207 in their first ♈innings, courtesy Sai Kishore's🌼 7/70, the writing was on the cards.
South didn't e⛄nforce follow-on and scored 316/4, pili🥃ng on North's misery by giving them an improbable target of 740 to chase.
On the final day, North were bowled out for 94 in 30.4 overs with Sai Kishore (3/28), off-spinner Krishnappa Gautham (3/50) and another slow left-armer, Tanay Thyagarajan (3/12), sharing the spoiܫls.
It was a 👍match that belonged to Sai Kishore for his stupendous effort (10/98 in 39 overs) as the pitch wasn't difficult ♔to bat on.
Sai Kishore varied his pace and lengths to trouble the North batters with only opener Yash Dhull (59 off 58 balls) showing so𒊎me counter-attacki🌳ng instincts.
The innings was terminated a♊t the ♍fall of ninth wicket as Navdeep Saini, who has been declared unfit by the BCCI, didn't come out to bat.
As many as eight North batters failed to reach double fig♉ures.
Mulani takes five-for
Left-arm spinner Shams Mul෴ani, who finished as the highest wicket-taker in Ranji Trophy, continued his rich vein of fꦡorm by taking 5 for 72, as West made short work of Central in the other semifinal.
Chasing a gigant🧸ic target of 501, Central were never in contention to make a mat♛ch of it and were all out for 221 in little over 57 overs.
Chinta🐓n Gaja, the seamer whose mindless bravado of deliberately throwing the ball back on follow through injured Venkatesh Iyer, also got his act together and chipped in with three wickets.
Rinku Singh (65♐ off 71 balls), and 'concussion substitute' Ashok Menaria (in place of Venkatesh Iyer) (32 off 71 balls), delayed the inevitable with a 87-run stand for the seventh wicket.
Starting the day at 33/2, the question was how long could Central Zone hang on. West had virtually sea🌺led it after their opponents were al♒l out for 128 in reply to the winner's 257 in the first essay.
Prithvi Shaw 🙈wasಞ deservingly named the Player of the Match for his 60 and 142 in the two innings.
It was his offensive approach at the top of the order in both the 𒁏innings that put Central on the back foot.
Summarised Scores
South Zone: 630/8 decl & 316/4 decl.
North Zone: 207 & (target 740) 94 all out in 3꧋0.4 overs (Yash Dhull 59, R Sai Kishore 3/28, K Gowtham 3/50, Tanay Thayagrajan 3/12).
SZ won by 645 runs.
West Zone: 257 and 371.
Central Zone: 128 and𝓡 (target 501) 221 in 57.1 overs (Rinku Singh 65,𒉰 Shams Mulani 5/72).
West Zone by 279 runs.
