Jagadeesan Nears Double Century as South Zone Posts 536 in Duleep Trophy

Bengaluru, Sep 5 (PTI) - Narayan Jagadeesan came agonizingly close to a landmark score, falling just three runs shy of a double century as South Zone posted a formidable 536 in their first innings during a somewhat subdued second day of the Duleep Trophy semi-final against North Zone on Friday.

Starting at 297 for three, South Zone managed to extend their innings throughout the majority of the second day's play, accumulating 239 runs from 88.2 overs while losing their remaining wickets.

Jagadeesan's Impressive Innings

Jagadeesan, who was in sublime touch, crafted a 197-run innings off 352 balls, embellished with 16 fours and three sixes before being run out. Despite his efforts, the rest of the batting order didn't seem inclined to accelerate the scoring rate but did enough to establish a commendable total.

Tough Task for North Zone

Now, the North Zone batters face the challenge of chasing down 537 over two full days to secure a spot in the final.

Early Setback for South Zone

The day began with a setback when South skipper Mohammed Azharuddeen (11) was dismissed on the second ball of the day by India's medium-pacer Anshul Kamboj (2/67 in 24 overs).

However, Ricky Bhui (54 off 131 balls) and Jagadeesan stitched a meticulous 87-run partnership for the fifth wicket across 194 balls without expressly looking to increase the scoring rate.

Jagadeesan, who added just three boundaries to his overnight tally of 13, was left stranded due to a mix-up with Bhui. In pursuit of a quick single, Bhui's call left Jagadeesan halfway down the pitch.

Partnerships and Key Contributions

Following lunch, Bhui looked to change gears slightly, striking off-spinner Sahil Lotra for a four and a compelling six over long-on. However, his aggression was short-lived when left-arm spinner Nishant Sindhu (5/125 in 47.2 overs) induced an edge that was comfortably caught by North's captain, Ankit Kumar.

Hyderabad spinner Tanay Thyagarajan (58 off 116 balls) found a valuable partner in Tamil Nadu pacer Gurjapneet Singh (29 off 81 balls) as they combined for a vital 63-run eighth-wicket partnership, pushing South Zone's total beyond the 500-mark.

Brief Scores

South Zone 1st Innings: 536 in 169.2 overs (Narayan Jagadeesan 197, Tanay Thyagarajan 58; Nishant Sindhu 5/125).

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