Duleep Trophy 2008-2009

[Chandan]

I am completely sold by this guy. People like Chandan say he does not have technique to survive quality bowling, but cricket is not all about technique and class.

I know that test cricket is not about technique only as Sehwag and many others have proved. But it is all about class. If you don't have class, you won't last in tests. Guys like Chanderpaul might have a terribly ugly technique and all but they are class. Remember, form is temporary and class is permanent!! I have my doubts about Badri. You can dig this very forum to find out how he failed invariably whenever confronted with quality bowlers, even if they were rookies. But I want selectors to give him a chance now so that the doubt can be settled one way or the other.

[coffee_rules]

I know that test cricket is not about technique only as Sehwag and many others have proved. But it is all about class. If you don't have class, you won't last in tests. Guys like Chanderpaul might have a terribly ugly technique and all but they are class. Remember, form is temporary and class is permanent!! I have my doubts about Badri. You can dig this very forum to find out how he failed invariably whenever confronted with quality bowlers, even if they were rookies. But I want selectors to give him a chance now so that the doubt can be settled one way or the other.

Not as much, but Dravid also has a similar streak. He has milked mediocre bowlers more than any other great, but against great bowlers his average goes down, even until 2006 when his record was great. Ofcourse, there are exceptions to this rule, but one can't miss this in his stat. Except for 180, his record against McWarne is not as good as say Tendulkar's (but, nobody else's is either). May be BB can stat this up.

[Chandan]

Not as much' date=' but Dravid also has a similar streak. He has milked mediocre bowlers more than any other great, but against great bowlers his average goes down, even until 2006 when his record was great. Ofcourse, there are exceptions to this rule, but one can't miss this in his stat. Except for 180, his record against McWarne is not as good as say Tendulkar's (but, nobody else's is either). May be BB can stat this up.[/quote'] Dravid hardly ever failed against rookie bowlers. So please do not compare anyone with Dravid. He is India's legend and will remain so, forever. You check Badrinath's score against Australia A and NZ A. He was even more embarassing against the pace of Tait, a match which I watched. You check his record of Irani trophy vs Ishant and co. Dravid might have feasted on 'not extremely good' bowlers but Badri can't even score runs against the like of Bollinger and co. Rohit and Yuvraj feasted on Australia's attack last year in the BP XI match, but what did Badrinath do? You can check it. So why should we give chance to this mediocre fellow who feasts on terrible bowlers? Anyway, you or I are not going to give him any chance. It is the selectors who'd do so. And if Badri indeed gets a chance, either of us will be proven wrong. So let us wait and watch!

[Ram]

I know that test cricket is not about technique only as Sehwag and many others have proved. But it is all about class. If you don't have class, you won't last in tests. Guys like Chanderpaul might have a terribly ugly technique and all but they are class. Remember, form is temporary and class is permanent!! I have my doubts about Badri. You can dig this very forum to find out how he failed invariably whenever confronted with quality bowlers, even if they were rookies. But I want selectors to give him a chance now so that the doubt can be settled one way or the other.

Fair enough Chandan, but atleast lets show some respect for his FC performances. This guy has been performing his bottom off the in the last 3-4 seasons. Does it all mean nothing in the end? He may well fail, but he deserves an extended run in the team for what he has done in FC cricket. And besides, I am not so sure I agree with your assessment that he is poor against quality bowling. All of us have seen this guy bat in places like IPL and his technique is more than handy.

[Chandan]

Fair enough Chandan, but atleast lets show some respect for his FC performances. This guy has been performing his bottom off the in the last 3-4 seasons. Does it all mean nothing in the end? He may well fail, but he deserves an extended run in the team for what he has done in FC cricket. And besides, I am not so sure I agree with your assessment that he is poor against quality bowling. All of us have seen this guy bat in places like IPL and his technique is more than handy.

MM, IPL and tests are poles apart. IPL is a domestic T20 tournament, while tests are the real test of a player. Badri might get a chance in tests but I don't think he'll get an extended run or else Amol Majumjar and S Sharath might have been stars. And if you doubt my assessment, I tell you to dig this very forum to know how he performed in A tournaments, BP XIs etc.

[Chandan]

Semi-final, Day 2 East Zone v West Zone, Mumbai, 2nd day Lower order resistance hands West the edge Nagraj Gollapudi at the Brabourne Stadium January 30, 2009 East Zone 171 & 128 for 3 (S Tiwary 12*, M Tiwary 8*, Das 56, Parida 47, Kulkarni 2-36) lead West Zone 282 (Pawar 56, Bose 4-70) by 17 runs Scorecard Abhishek Nayar followed up his good form in the Ranji Trophy with a fluent 47 which helped West Zone gain a significant first innings lead A couple of top-order wickets late in the day gave West Zone the advantage at the halfway stage of their Duleep Trophy match against East. East finished with a slender lead of 17 with seven wickets in the bag, but with two new batsmen at the crease, West will retain strong hopes of taking charge in the first hour tomorrow, a period which proved vital for East earlier today. After bundling out West for 282, East returned to bat in the second session before finishing on 128 for 3 with the two Tiwarys - Manoj and Saurabh - surviving some close calls before stumps. They had arrived in quick succession after two marginal umpiring decisions put them on the back foot following the 96-run second-wicket stand between Shiv Sundar Das and Rashmi Ranjan Parida. Das and Parida fought hard after the early fall of Dibyendu Chakrabarty, who feathered an easy catch to an outgoing delivery from Dhawal Kulkarni. But some wayward bowling by the West bowlers, who bowled too many short deliveries, helped the pair settle down. Once Das had reached his half century, it seemed East were ready dictate terms. Unfortunately, Das was a victim of a marginal decision from South African umpire Marias Erasmus: Das moved inside the line to play one to the leg side, missed and was hit on the pads by Rajesh Pawar, but the ball might have missed leg stump. Pawar could have picked up wickets off consecutive balls for the second time in the game when Manoj Tiwary prodded at one that turned, but Wasim Jaffer, at slip, dropped his second easy catch of the innings. Earlier, Parida had earned a reprieve on 32 when he tried to cut Pawar but Jaffar failed to pick a low catch to his right. But East's misery was compounded in the next over when Kulkarni hit Parida in line with the middle. The height, though, remained a question. West owed their 111-run first-innings lead largely to an 88-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Abhishek Nayar and Kedar Jadhav, and a half-century from yesterday's hero Pawar. They enabled West to repair the damage they had sustained in the first half hour of the morning session where three wickets fell within the first five overs. East's fast-bowling pair of Ashok Dinda and Ranadeb Bose were a constant threat, generating ample bounce and seam movement. Off the third ball of the morning, Cheteshwar Pujara was beaten by the bounce and movement and edged to Wriddhiman Saha, who took a fine catch diving to his right. Parthiv Patel nicked to Manoj Tiwary at second slip, and more trouble was in store for West when Dinda's athleticism got the better of Bhavik Thaker's slow response to a call from Abhishek Nayar for a tight single. However, the pair of Nayar and Jadhav stopped East from wresting total control with their aggressive batting. Jadhav hit successive boundaries, as he pulled Dinda firmly and then hit a textbook cover drive to assuage the early morning shocks. Nayyar hit a couple of on-drives, both clips off Dinda, who tried to move the ball into the left-hander but often erred in line. Anand Katti, the left-arm spinner, wasn't spared either, as Jadhav pulled strongly and later swept the spinner to help West take the lead. When Bose replaced Basanth Mohanty, Nayar hit him for four consecutive boundaries. He then charged Katti to hit the first six of the match. But instead of building on the momentum, Nayar threw it away the next ball, attempting a paddle sweep from off stump. The top edge lobbed up safely to leg slip. There was more joy for East, as Jadhav was deceived by Bose's pace while he attempted a hook, and the leading edge was pouched by Saha. West's lead at that point was on 33, but Pawar held the tail together with some gritty batting and took advantage of the loose balls, cutting the short ones and hitting Katti over the sightscreen for a six. By the time he departed, West had managed to build a significant advantage. Another POV East fightback, but miles to go G. Viswanath Mumbai: West Zone captain Wasim Jaffer wasn’t in high spirits at the end of the second day’s play in their Duleep Trophy tie against East — which would’ve seemed surprising midway through the day considering his team had taken a handy 111-run first-innings lead. But with East 128/3 at stumps — 17 ahead with two full days of Cricket left — the match has suddenly come back to life, and though West are still at the wheel the contest could take a U-turn in the blink of an eye. East Zone pacers Ranadeb Bose and Ashok Dinda used the early morning conditions better than their Western counterparts had on Thursday to keep their team in with a chance in the Duleep Trophy semifinal. The Bengal duo took three early wickets, including those of the overnight pair of Bhavik Thakkar and Cheteshwar Pujara, and Parthiv Patel. Yet, East still found themselves on the backseat when the day ended as two sizeable partnerships helped West take a first innings lead of 111. Earlier, Dinda struck in the day’s third delivery, exposing Pujara’s weakness to bounce and movement. Parthiv edged Bose to Manoj Tiwary, while Thakkar was run out by Dinda. However, the East batsmen could not continue with the fightback, as three wickets fell with the lead of only 17 in the second innings. Skipper Shiv Sundar Das (56) and Rashmi Ranjan Parida (47) put on a partnership of 96 before falling in successive overs. West Zone struck two vital blows in the last hour to take control of the Duleep Trophy semifinal against East Zone at the Brabourne Stadium on Friday. Trailing by 111 runs, East lost opener Dibyendu Chakrabarty in the third over to seamer Dhawal Kulkarni. But on a surface that was near-perfect for stroke-making, captain Shiv Sundar Das and Rashmi Ranjan Parida put on a determined 96-run stand before left-arm spinner Rajesh Pawar and Kulkarni removed them. The wickets of Das and Parida three runs from wiping out the arrears were big gains on the second day of a contest in which the batsmen and bowlers have met with success in equal measure. Jaffer was candid enough to admit that it was all-rounder Abhishek Nayar’s “bad shot†— a paddle sweep — that was responsible for his team not taking what he called a “match-killing†lead. “We were sailing at 198-5, and Nayar and Kedar Jadhav were playing well. But one bad shot changed things,†Jaffer said. The flamboyant Nayar has different views on his dismissal, though — facing left-arm spinner Anand Katti, had he top-edged the ball — saying it was a shot he regularly played in matches and practiced in the nets. This contrasting perception brings into focus the thin line adventurous batsmen such as Nayar walk on. Like Nayar, there is a player in the East Zone team — middle-order batsman Saurabh Tiwary — who is neither a copy-book player nor a grafter. On Saturday, East will be banking on him to score quickly. Unbeaten on 12, with two fours, he has for company the team’s mainstay Manoj Tiwary. Jaffer is wary that the two Tiwarys can change the complexion of a game, and East Zone’s new-ball bowler Ranadeb Bose, who with 4/70 was the most successful paceman in the match, believes his team have a chance if they can set West Zone a target of around 250 in the fourth innings. Ask the 19-year-old Saurabh, a junior World Cup winner, if he will be curb his aggressive approach on Saturday, and he doesn’t mince words: “Even if I score five ducks in a row, I will play the sixth innings the way that I always do.†North Zone v South Zone, Rajkot, 2nd day North make steady reply to South's 548 Cricinfo staff January 30, 2009 North Zone 172 for 3 (Dewan 81, Dhawan 37) trail South Zone 548 (Badrinath 200, Dravid 138, Yadav 70, Gony 3-90) by 376 runs Scorecard North Zone made a steady reply on the second day at the Madhavrao Scindia Ground, finishing 376 adrift of South Zone's massive 548 with seven wickets in hand. Arjun Yadav earlier stretched South's commanding overnight position with a half-century and the tail too contributed to the team's efforts. South's overnight pair of Arjun Yadav and M Suresh added 37 to the overnight score of 442 before Suresh was dismissed by Manpreet Gony for 17. Yadav went on to pass his half-century and helped stretch the score past 500 before being bowled for 70 by Vikramjeet Malik. R Vinay Kumar resisted with a 87-ball 29 and his last-wicket stand of 35 with L Balaji frustrated North. Gony, Malik and Amit Mishra finished with three wickets apiece. North's openers, Shikhar Dhawan and Rahul Dewan began strongly, adding 82 in 18 overs before R Ashwin struck, sending back Dhawan for a quick 37, which featured six fours. Dewan looked set for a century but was eventually run out for 81. It sparked yet another wicket as North lost their captain Aakash Chopra, stumped off Suresh, the Andhra legspinner. Sunny Sohal and Uday Kaul steadied the innings till stumps and North will look to their middle order to carry on and bat out the third day. Another POV In form South seizes the initiative Nandakumar Marar FOXED: North Zone skipper Akash Chopra played the wrong line to a delivery from M. Suresh and wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik did the rest. RAJKOT: Spinners R. Ashwin and M. Suresh cashed in on concentration lapses by batsmen on a Rajkot wicket playing true to reputation of being a heartbreak for bowlers, on the second day of Duleep Trophy knockout tie. South Zone maintained its momentum after putting up 548 in the first innings by grabbing quick wickets to break North Zone’s resistance. Earlier, resuming at 442, the South tailenders played a patient innings. Overnight batsmen, Arjun Yadav, who was batting on 43, made 70 while M Suresh struck 17. Vinay Kumar (29) and L Balaji continued to frustrate North bowlers and batted till lunch, but soon Vinay departed, caught at slip by Shikhar Dhawan. Had North Zone landed with their full-strength side, Rahul Dewan wouldn’t even have found a place in the squad. On Friday, the opener fired 81 for the defending champions, but three quick wickets saw them on the backfoot against South in their Duleep Trophy semi-final. Chasing a huge score of 548, North still needed 376 runs at the end of the day with two Punjab boys, Uday Kaul (16) and Sunny Sohal (19), at the crease. Dewan and Dhawan hadn’t wasted any time in getting their willows adjusted to the pace. They compiled 82 runs from 18 overs and batted fearlessly. Shikhar, looking set for a big one, forced Badrinath to spread his field out with a few lusty hits. The shots also necessitated the introduction of off spinner R Ashwin. Ashwin answered almost immediately, and had Dhawan caught by Abhinav Mukund at silly point. Shikhar Dhawan jabbed at a delivery from Ashwin and Abhinav Mukund at silly point completed a reflex catch. Aakash Chopra played away from his body against Suresh, missed the line and Dinesh Karthik whipped off the bails. Rahul Diwan (81 off 132 balls, 14 fours) tested S. Badrinath’s arm from the deep and got run out going for the third run and North’s hopes of building on an 82-run first wicket stand crumbled. The score at stumps was 172 for three — 376 runs behind. A miss-field by South skipper S Badrinath, saw Dewan running for his third run, but he fell short of the crease. His innings of 132 balls had 14 fours. Chopra (17) tried to drive on the leg-side but misjudged and was stumped by Dinesh Karthik off M Suresh. South fast bowlers toiled in vain, L. Balaji’s and R. Vinay Kumar’s spells with the new ball made no impact on Dhawan and Diwan, the North openers driving fluently through the line. Sameer Bandekar tried his medium-pace and Robin Uthappa bowled off a short run-up but the flow of runs continued. Diwan caught the eye with compact style — balanced at the crease and languid in his strokes. The Delhi youngster, who now plays for Haryana, looked set for a Duleep Trophy century on his debut season in first-class cricket when the run out happened. There was just a hint of despair on Aakash Chopra’s face on his long trek back to the pavilion. He perhaps knew that with his wicket North Zone had surrendered the chance to challenge South’s mammoth total of 548 in their Duleep Trophy semifinal. North Zone has an uphill task now. Run-making is easy but the sheer volume of runs to be made is the intimidating factor.

[zubinpepsi]

WTF?? Kohli and Bhatia are hurt and dint bat.... NZ ended their 1st innings for 300 runs.. Uthapppam makes an unbeaten century and SZ is leading by some 400+ runs

[Chandan]

Semi-final, Day 3 East Zone v West Zone, Mumbai, 3rd day West trounce East by eight wickets Nagraj Gollapudi at the Brabourne Stadium January 31, 2009 West Zone 282 (Pawar 56, Bose 4-70) & 90 for 2 (Parthiv 54*) beat East Zone 171(Parida 63, Pawar 6-34) & 200 (SS Das 56, Kulkarni 3-50, Trivedi 3-66) by eight wickets Scorecard Siddarth Trivedi (right) took 3 for 67 West Zone marched into the Duleep Trophy final for the second year in a row after completing a comprehensive eight-wicket victory against East Zone. Chasing a small target of 90, after East had fallen for 200 in the second innings, West reached the target nearly an hour before tea on the third day in Mumbai. East had themselves to blame for a dismal performance. Their batsman lacked both application and intent, and failed in both innings. They had lost two wickets - the captain Shiv Sunder Das and Rashmi Parida - late on the second evening, and appeared vulnerable at the start of the third day even though they had seven wickets in hand. Beginning the day on 128 for 3, East were relying on the two Tiwarys - Manoj and Saurabh - to mount a challenge after their bowlers, led by Ranadeb Bose, had worked hard to deny West a match-winning lead, restricting it to 111. Manoj and Saurabh had failed in the first innings, scoring 13 and 24, and once again their impatience proved their undoing. Saurabh started the day with a strong cover drive to the boundary but he soon tried to push at an away-going delivery from Siddharth Trivedi without getting behind the line and edged to wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel. And for the second time in the match, Manoj's fragile defence was exposed. Another outswinger from Trivedi found the edge to Wasim Jaffer at first slip. Trivedi should have had his third wicket when he forced another edge from Halhadar Das off a short ball which lifted more than the batsman expected. It was a slightly difficult chance but Parthiv should have held it after he threw himself to his right. Dhawal Kulkarni squatted and held his head in disbelief in the next over when Parthiv dropped two sitters off the first and the fourth ball, both off Halhadar. It would have been a travesty had Halhahar prospered but that did not happen because Jaffer took a shoulder-high catch in Trivedi's next over. Though Wriddhiman Saha and Bose tried their best to delay defeat, East were bundled out an over before lunch. West had plenty of time to complete the chase but Jaffer and Ajinkya Rahane fell while trying to score quickly. However, Parthiv scored a half-century and ensured the target was achieved without further loss. He finished the game in style, with consecutive cover drives off part-time legspinner Manoj Tiwary, and was unbeaten on 54 while Cheteshwar Pujara finished on 1. Another POV East go down in 3 days G. Viswanath Mumbai: An eight-wicket loss with a day-and-a-half to spare wasn’t a scenario East Zone would have imagined at stumps on Friday. At the end of the second day, they had reached 128/3 and the temporary high of erasing the 111-run lead meant they could dare to dream big. On Day Three, it proved to be wishful thinking as East lasted just 20 overs to reach 200 and West Zone flew past the winning target of 90 just after lunch to reach the Duleep Trophy final. East Zone’s batting blues continued as they capitulated for the second time and crashed to an eight-wicket defeat against West Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-final at the Brabourne Stadium here Saturday. East had the copyrights to write their own success story as they went into the third and penultimate day with a slender overall lead of 17 runs and seven wickets in hand. But what they came up with was a horrible script that would haunt them forever. Resuming at 128 for three, the visitors were bundled out for 200 in 68.3 overs with 15 minutes to go for lunch. Parthiv Patel'S small chance of making the New Zealand tour as the reserve wicketkeeper rapidly diminished as he dropped three catches and missed a stumping in the Duleep semifinal. Patel's substandard show behind the wicket was watched closely by two selectors — East's Raja Venkat and West's Surendra Bhave — but had no bearing on the result as West trounced East by eight wickets with four sessions to spare, and stormed into the Duleep Trophy final. Admirable outswing bowling by Gujarat's Siddarth Trivedi rattled East and the visitors had no reserve strength to bail them out. Bengal's Manoj Tiwary and Jharkhand's Sourav Tiwary were East's last hope to widen the 17-run advantage that they began Saturday with. But they failed and started East's collapse. Bowling round the wicket to the left-handed Sourav, Trivedi found the edge of the defensive blade for Patel to collect his 200th first-class dismissal from 54 matches. Switching back to over the wicket, Trivedi produced a gem of an outswinger that forced Manoj to defend and the resulting nick went to Wasim Jaffer at first slip. Haladhar Das thanked his stars, not once, not twice but thrice. Patel's pathetic display began when he floored Haladhar's first ball, the ball rising sharply and taking the edge. In the next over, two straightforward chances off Dhawal Kulkarni were grassed. However, in the subsequent over, Trivedi consumed Haladhar, caught sharply at slip. Patel's then missed an easy stumping chance against Wriddhiman Saha off Rajesh Pawar. Had these chances not been fluffed, West could have finished the game earlier. Parthiv Patel made amends for a miserable display with big gloves with an aggressive undefeated 54 (69b, 9x4) as West Zone recorded an eight-wicket win over East Zone in the Duleep Trophy semifinal at the Brabourne Stadium here on Saturday. Patel, who had dropped three catches off Halhadar Das and a stumping off Wriddhiman Saha, drove two consecutive shots to the off-side fence to bring up a comfortable victory for his side 40 minutes before tea break on the third day of the match. This is West's second successive entry and 32nd overall, into the Duleep final and they have won the crown on 16 occasions, including sharing the trophy three times. It reconfirmed the fact that the teams separated geographically by several thousand miles were light years apart on the cricketing field. West boasts of four teams in the Elite division — Ranji champions Mumbai, semi-finalists Saurashtra, quarter-finalists Gujarat and Baroda. East had just one team in the Elite group this season, in Orissa, and they too just about managed to avoid relegation. Raja Venkat confirms the region is experiencing a slump. “It is tough to even pick a zonal squad. There are a few players who are exceptional. But things will improve,†he says. West Zone skipper Wasim Jaffer was also surprised by the dismal show of his rivals. Jaffer says that his team were not on the money but still they managed to win with a lot to spare. “We dropped catches, the batting wasn’t up to our standards and the bowlers bowled well only in patches. Any other team would have taken advantage of these things,†says Jaffer. Among other factors for East’s forgettable show, the selection of the playing XI was striking. Pacer Basanth Mohanty seemed unfit, the team lacked a spinner and instead of playing a specialist batsman, they opted for two ’keepers. West Zone retains winning combination for Duleep Trophy final West Zone retained the same fifteen who did duty in the semi-final against East Zone here for the five-day Duleep Trophy final to be played in Chennai from February 5. West hammered East by eight wickets with more than a day and one session to spare to reach the final of the tournament for the 32nd time. They have won the title on 16 occasions. They would meet the winners of the other semi-final, which is being played at Rajkot between South Zone and North Zone, in the summit clash. The team: Wasim Jaffer (Capt), Parthiv Patel (Vice-capt, wicketkeeper), Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Bhavik Thaker, Kedar Jadhav, Abhishek Nayar, Samad Fallah, Sidharth Trivedi, Rajesh Pawar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Ameya Shrikhande, Ramesh Powar, Ajitesh Argal and Azhar Bilakia. Manager: Mukund Parmar; Coach: Pravin Amre; Physio: Dr Aijaz Ashai. North Zone v South Zone, Rajkot, 3rd day Uthappa's 160 shuts out North Cricinfo staff January 31, 2009 South Zone 458 and 319 for 3 (Uthappa 160, Ashwin 66*) lead North Zone 300 (Sohal 94) by 567 runs Scorecard Powered by Robin Uthappa's rapid century, South Zone shut North Zone out of contention for a place in the Duleep Trophy final. Having failed to inspire with the bat in South's previous match in his home city of Bangalore and picking up 1 in the first innings in Rajkot, Uthappa blasted 160 from 159 balls against a lacklustre North attack. When the day began, South's lead was 376. North were 172 for 3, but without the services of key batsmen Virat Kohli and Rajat Bhatia, who were unable to bat due to injuries. The overnight pair of Sunny Sohal and Uday Kaul were not able to add much more to their stand, and was once Kaul was out for 40 there was little resistance from the rest. Sohal continued on to 94, scored from 99 balls, and the last two wickets fell with the total on 300. S Badrinath, South's capain, did not enforce a follow-on and decided to bat again and South were given a brisk start. Abhinav Mukund (31 from 36 balls) helped add 58 in good time with Uthappa, and then Dinesh Karthik chipped in with 39 from 52 balls. Uthappa blasted 19 fours and three sixes in his innings, adding 139 with offspinner R Ashwin, who was unbeaten on 66 at stumps. Uthappa's strokeful innings came to an end when he tried to lift part-time bowler Sohal over cover but holed out to Shikhar Dhawan. Another POV Uthappa ton takes South on verge of Duleep final Nandakumar Marar BIG KNOCK: South Zone’s Robin Uthappa compounded North’s agony by coming up with a big century on Saturday.. RAJKOT: South Zone drove North Zone to the brink of exhaustion in the Duleep Trophy semifinal match here on Saturday. North Zone skipper Aakash Chopra was in a situation which all captains dread — having four injured players in his playing eleven with his rivals on the rampage. As a result, South Zone eased into a comfortable 248-run first-innings lead which has virtually ensured their berth against West Zone in the final of the Duleep Trophy. Building on a 248-run first innings lead, South decided to wear out the rival bowlers further instead of enforcing the follow-on.South opener Robin Uthappa fired a breezy 160 off 159 balls (19x4, 3x6) as the team added 319 by stumps, losing only three wickets, taking their overall lead to 567 runs. R Ashwin and M Suresh were batting on 66 and 8 respectively. The timing of S. Badrinath’s declaration on the concluding day will determine the endgame even as the first innings deficit and injuries dented North’s morale. Specialist batsmen — Virat Kohli and Rajat Bhatia — are on the casualty list, bowlers M.S. Gony and Parwinder Awana limped off the field. “We can do little but wait for South’s decision after losing four players,†said North Zone captain Aakash Chopra, for whom the absence of Kohli (shoulder strain) and Bhatia (back spasm) hurt in the race for first innings lead. Both did not walk out to bat after the eighth wicket fell at the 300-run mark. Good knock Having lost three crucial wickets on Friday, it wasn't going to be easy for North to claw back into the game and a spate of injuries further torpedoed their hopes. Overnight batsmen Sunny Sohal and Uday Kaul were off to a flier on Saturday but the latter departed in the 11th over. Sunny Sohal, who was promoted at No. 4, batted freely (94 off 99 balls) to boost North’s first innings response against South Zone’s varied attack. S Bandekar forced an edge off Kaul's flashing blade and Dinesh Karthik made no mistake behind the stumps. The South wicketkeeper had spilled a catch in the seventh over off Sohal on 35 and it proved costly as the burly Punjab batsman smashed a 99-ball 94. Sohal was the top scorer for North, who batted with only nine men with Rajat Bhatia and Virat Kohli absent injured. While Kohli had pulled his right shoulder while fielding on the first day, Bhatia complained of a back spasm after the second day's play. Pacemen — L. Balaji and R. Vinay Kumar — made no impact and others were treated with disdain by Sohal (12x4, 3x6). He went down fighting, slashing a Balaji delivery over slips which was caught by Rahul Dravid. Dravid’s presence of mind led to Mishra’s run-out on the second attempt. Wicket-keeper Karthik had appealed for a stumping earlier, but was turned down as the ball was not in his grasp.

[Chandan]

Semi-final, Day 4 East Zone v West Zone, Mumbai, 3rd day West trounce East by eight wickets to enter the final January 31, 2009 West Zone 282 (Pawar 56, Bose 4-70) & 90 for 2 (Parthiv 54*) beat East Zone 171(Parida 63, Pawar 6-34) & 200 (SS Das 56, Kulkarni 3-50, Trivedi 3-66) by eight wickets Scorecard North Zone v South Zone, Rajkot, 4th day South crush North by 411 runs Cricinfo staff February 1, 2009 South Zone 548 ( Badrinath 200, Dravid 138, Gony 3-90) and 319 (Uthappa 160, Ashwin 66*) beat North Zone 300 (Sohal 94, Dewan 81, Suresh 3-69) and 156 (Dhawan 61, Balaji 3-20, Suresh 3-48) by 411 runs Scorecard It took 42.3 overs on the final day for South Zone to complete a crushing win against North Zone and set up a final clash with West Zone. South declared on their overnight score of 319 for 3, to set North an outlandish target of 568 in 90 overs to make the final. Medium-pacer L Balaji and legspinner M Suresh took three wickets each to hasten defending champion North's defeat. Shikhar Dhawan fought a lone battle for North, his 61 off 100 balls being the only half-century of the innings. After losing Rahul Dewan in the morning's first over, North resisted with a 70-run stand between Dhawan and captain Aakash Chopra. However once Chopra fell, caught behind by Dinesh Karthik off Suresh, it was the domino effect as the other batsmen surrendered meekly. Suresh and Karthik combined again to run out first-innings hero Sunny Sohal, and when R Ashwin trapped wicketkeeper Uday Kaul leg before in the 19th over, North had slipped to 72 for 4. A 50-run stand between Dhawan and Amit Mishra kept South at bay but Dhawan's dismissal triggered a mini-collapse, Manpreet Gony and Vikramjeet Malik exiting in quick succession. North's problems were further compounded as the injured pair of Virat Kohli and Rajat Bhatia were unable to bat. Mishra went on to make 46 before he was the last man out, which ensured that South would be enjoying home advantage in the final at Chennai beginning Thursday. While Rahul Dravid has captained India, Robin Uthappa led Karnataka this season in the Ranji Trophy. Arjun Yadav captained Hyderabad in VVS Laxman's absence, while Dinesh Karthik was at the helm in Tamil Nadu during the tournament as well. S Badrinath believed his job as South Zone captain was made easier with the presence of such leading lights. "It always helps to have players who are also skippers of other domestic teams," he told the Indian Express. "We get more ideas and our job becomes much easier." Another POV South run over North to enter Duleep final Nandakumar Marar North folded up for 156 in the second innings Badrinath played a dominant role in South’s win CAPTAIN’S DELIGHT: M. Suresh and L. Balaji, who shared six wickets between them, celebrate a strike as South skipper S. Badrinath (centre) looks on.. RAJKOT: South Zone stand-in skipper Subramaniam Badrinath was all smiles on Sunday. His team crushed North Zone by 411 runs to set up the Duleep final clash with West Zone in Chennai from February 5 to 9. The final day of the Duleep Trophy seemed to be a mere formality, but South Zone were in no mood to relax. On Sunday, it took only one session and seven overs for them to dismiss North Zone for a paltry 156. South had virtually sealed the semifinal a day in advance by virtue of their first innings lead, but Badrinath had something else in mind. He wanted an outright win and espoused combat in everything he did to achieve his target. His decision to not enforce the follow-on suggested that he wanted his batsmen to have some practice before the final, and a lead of 567 prevented his bowlers from any frenetic activity before the tournament decider. The plan worked and North Zone, who batted with nine men, were demolished for a paltry156 half an hour after lunch. Barring Shikhar Dhawan (61), Aakash Chopra (27) and Amit Mishra (46), none of the other batsmen could not manage a double-digit score. Dhawan once again got the start, but failed to transform it into a big score and Mishra stuck around towards the end to show some resilience against the South bowlers. South Zone’s L. Balaji and M. Suresh reaped three wickets each on a bowler’s day out in the Duleep Trophy semifinal against North Zone on Sunday. After the first three days of toil on a Rajkot track designed for batsmen to revel in front-foot play, the pace and spin spearheads reduced North Zone to 156 for eight in 42.3 overs. Virat Kohli and Rajat Bhatia did not bat in the second innings, resulting in a 411-run victory for the S. Badrinath-led squad. South declared on the overnight total of 319 for three, the overall lead being a daunting 567. North was in no frame of mind to chase down the target, without the attacking Kohli and gritty Bhatia in the batting line-up. Delaying the inevitable Shikhar Dhawan’s 61 off 100 balls delayed the defeat till the post-lunch session. Amit Mishra struck 46 in a lost cause against a rival adept at playing the waiting game. A wicket in the first over from Laxmipathy Balaji, of opener Rahul Dewan, sent a clear message that North’s batting abilities would be scrutinised acutely as they — set an ungettable 568 for victory — attempted to salvage a draw. Skipper Chopra (27) and Shikhar Dhawan added 70 runs for the second wicket and it was their only respectable partnership. After Chopra’s dismissal, caught behind by wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik off M Suresh, wickets kept falling at regular intervals. Sunny Sohal was run out, Uday Kaul was trapped lbw by R Ashwin, and Dhawan looked in good touch but gave a simple catch to leggie M Suresh to fall for 61. Leg-spinner Amit Mishra’s late 46 was too little, too late. Balaji made the most of early morning moisture in the wicket striking an early blow by dismissing opener Rahul Diwan. M.S. Gony and Vikramjit Malik were his other victims, the former caught by Rahul Dravid at full stretch in the slips, while the latter mishit a slower delivery back to the bowler. Suresh came up with his second three-wicket haul in three days, nailing Dhawan, Aakash Chopra and Mishra. Badrinath had put North on the backfoot from day one, first by winning the toss and then rattling up 312 in the company of Dravid (138) for the third wicket. The South captain, standing in for V.V.S. Laxman, top-scored with 200 in the first innings and played a dominant part in the team’s win. With this win, South will fly home to Chennai to meet the Wasim Jaffer-led West Zone in the final starting on February 5. Having a star-studded team has turned out to be a big boost for South Zone in the ongoing tournament, with five different domestic captains making S Badrinath’s job easier. Rahul Dravid has captained India, Robin Uthappa led Karnataka this season, Arjun Yadav was the skipper of Hyderabad in VVS Laxman’s absence, while Dinesh Karthik was at the helm in Tamil Nadu during the Ranji Trophy. “It always helps to have players who are also skippers of other domestic teams. We get more ideas and our job becomes much easier,” said Badrinath about his unique advantage. But for all of North’s troubles, had the India-Sri Lanka series not happened, they would’ve been a different outfit altogether, because most of the star players were away on national duty. Badrinath hailed his colleagues for the superb team effort. “I am happy with the performance,” he said. The South skipper singled out M. Suresh for praise, saying, “He is in very good touch and has been bowling really well. We are all looking up to him for a good show in the final.” Dinesh Karthik, competing with Parthiv Patel, said: “I am concentrating on my batting and hope to strike back.” Meanwhile, Laxman, M. Vijay and S. Sreesanth are expected to be available for the final. ‘I’m too old to jump up and down after a ton’ The South Zone cricketers were listening to music on their flashy I-pods after the match against North was over. But not Rahul Dravid. The former India captain set his wrist watch and began jogging around the Madhavrao Scindia ground, with coach Vijay Bharadwaj counting the time taken by the batsman to complete a single lap. After he had sweated it out, The Indian Express caught up with Dravid and he spoke about his current form in domestic cricket, his bad patch and the struggle to overcome it. Excerpts: Back-to-back centuries in the Duleep Trophy, you seem to be enjoying your stint in domestic cricket? • It has been a good outing so far, and the last couple of games went really well. I really enjoyed spending time in the middle and scoring runs. It feels nice. It’s good playing some domestic cricket. We are now hoping to lift the Duleep Trophy. After your show in the tournament, do you feel you’re back in form? • I’m not looking at it that way. I’m just trying to play well. Yes, things have gone pretty well, and I’m batting really well. I just want to carry the same form into the final too. Right now, I’m focused to help my team win the final. How tough was it for you when you were going though that rough patch? • Anyone who has played the game will tell you how frustrating it is to be out of form. I’m no exception. There are periods when things don’t go the way you want them to. But it’s part and parcel of the game and you must accept it. Such times are always difficult. I had a bad patch for a long time but I’m hopeful that this year will be a good one. During a slump, do you talk to different people or seek advice from one? • It depends. It’s about doing what you feel is right. Sometimes you figure things out yourself but sometimes you talk to somebody who knows your game well. It could be your team-mates or coach. Nowadays you have plenty of support staff. It depends on the individual. You scored a century in Mohali (against England) but didn’t look like celebrating much. You did not even raise your bat. • I wasn’t trying to do anything. I was happy to score a hundred. It’s nice to score runs, especially when they come after a while. Yes, I didn’t raise my bat towards the dressing room, but that's it. Probably I’ve become too old to jump up and down now. Away from your family — and since you are a father now — how difficult is it to keep your focus? • I’ve always been able to compartmentalise and pursue interests outside the game while keeping my focus on it. That was true even before I got married. When I’m playing, I’m concentrated on it. Off the field, I really enjoy being with my family.

[Rajan]

South Vs West : Duleep Trophy Final : 5th - 9th Feb : Chennai MAC Stadium South Zone will be seeking to regain the Duleep Trophy cricket title they last won 13 years ago when they face West Zone in the five-day final commencing at the M A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday. With both the finalists boasting of strong batting line-up, the bowlers will have a major role to play on a pitch that was described as dry and would aid spin in the latter part of the game.South Zone again will be without an injured V V S Laxman but opening batsman Murali Vijay, who has been in form, has returned to replace young Abhinav Mukund. The only setback for South Zone, and nobody minds, is the absence of new ball bowler Laxmipathy Balaji who flew out to Sri Lanka earlier this week as a replacement for injured Munaf Patel to join the Indian ODI squad.Even without Balaji, who has been replaced by Robin D'Souza (Goa), the South bowling attack still has enough teeth with fast bowler Santhakumaran Sreesanth and leg-spinner Mirrupurri Suresh expected to play the lead roles.Suresh, in particular, has had an excellent tournament with 12 wickets in two matches, including six for 84 against Central Zone in the opening fixture at Bangalore. In batting too, South boasts of a strong line-up with skipper Subramaniam Badrinath, Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik and Rahul Dravid all scoring a century apiece.While Dravid scored back-to-back centuries in two matches to underline his return to form, Karthik distinguished himself with two centuries against Central Zone. "Obviously, we will miss Balaji, but we are planning to go in with five bowlers and if our batting fires, then nobody can stop us," said Badrinath. "The pitch looks dry and is likely to take turn as the match progresses." West are also without several key players who all are currently on India duty in Sri Lanka. The presence of Yusuf Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja and Zaheer Khan would have certainly boosted West's chances, but with youngsters chipping in, they still have a line-up capable of pulling off victory in the final. The spotlight would be on the likes of batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, both of whom displayed top form in the recently-concluded Ranji Trophy tournament as also new ball bowler Dhawal Kulkarni./B]With skipper Waseem Jaffer and Parthiv Patel weighing in with their experience, West would be going into the game with quiet confidence.Left-arm spinner Rajesh Pawar has also been a revelation following his eight-wicket haul against East Zone in the semi-finals. "Both teams have strong batting line-up and I feel the bowlers will make a difference. I am confident that we will do well in this match," said Jaffer.West have won the trophy outright 13 times, the last success coming in the 2005-06 season while South have been outright winners on 12 occasions. The hosts last won the trophy in 1995-96. Teams: South Zone: S Badrinath (captain), Murali Vijay, Robin Uthappa, Rahul Dravid, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shadab Jakati, S Sreesanth, Vinay Kumar, Saurav Bandekar, Robin D'Souza, M Suresh, Anoop Pai, Rohan Prem and Abhinav Mukund West Zone: Wasim Jaffer (captain), Parthiv Patel (wicketkeeper), Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Kedar Jadhav, Bhavik Thakker, Ramesh Powar, Rajesh Pawar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Siddarth Trivedi, Samad Fallah, Ajitesh Argal, Azharuddin Bilakhia, Abhishek Nayar and Ameya Shrikhende Umpires: Marias Eramus (South Africa) and Amish Saheba (India) Third umpire: Shahvir Tarapore (India) Match Referee: Sunil Chaturvedi (India) ============= Happy to note that M.Vijay is back. Balaji's loss is difficult to compensate by the Goan new ball bowler.lets see how he performs. Dhaval will have to do very well to impress the selectors. He had picked up many wickets but this south team will test him out. let us hope for a keenly contested match, with clear result rather than another first innings lead fight and a batathon...May the better team win. ===================== Having said that, I want South to win!

[Chandan]

Teams: South Zone: S Badrinath (captain), Murali Vijay, Robin Uthappa, Rahul Dravid, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shadab Jakati, S Sreesanth, Vinay Kumar, Saurav Bandekar, Robin D'Souza, M Suresh, Anoop Pai, Rohan Prem and Abhinav Mukund West Zone: Wasim Jaffer (captain), Parthiv Patel (wicketkeeper), Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Kedar Jadhav, Bhavik Thakker, Ramesh Powar, Rajesh Pawar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Siddarth Trivedi, Samad Fallah, Ajitesh Argal, Azharuddin Bilakhia, Abhishek Nayar and Ameya Shrikhende

It should be one heck of a match. West's bowling looks a bit weak and absence of Balaji doesn't serve South well too. I'm also disappointed at Laxman still missing even the final which means he isn't 100% fit. Still I hope that at least Sreesanth regains his full form and fitness through this match. I also hope that Dhawal puts himself forward as the best untried seamer through a strong performance against these batsmen.

West Zone v South Zone in Duleep Trophy © Cricket Nirvana West Zone and South Zone will lock horns in the final of Duleep Trophy starting Thursday. West Zone have enjoyed an upper hand over South Zone in the past. Here is a stats dossier of the contests between these two sides in Duleep Trophy. Summary of results: Mts West South Drawn 29 9 3 17 Highest totals: West: 747 Rourkela 1990-91 South: 740 Bombay WS 1986-87 Lowest totals: West: 102 Hyderabad 1974-75 South: 97 Madras 1972-73 Highest individual innings: West: 292 SS Bhave Rourkela 1994-95 South: 250* WV Raman Rourkela 1994-95 Best innings bowling: West: 9-55 BP Gupte Calcutta 1962-63 South: 6-26 S Venkataraghavan Hyderabad 1974-75

[Rajan]

It should be one heck of a match. West's bowling looks a bit weak and absence of Balaji doesn't serve South well too. I'm also disappointed at Laxman still missing even the final which means he isn't 100% fit. Still I hope that at least Sreesanth regains his full form and fitness through this match. I also hope that Dhawal puts himself forward as the best untried seamer through a strong performance against these batsmen.

i expect sreesanth to get 2 5 wicket hauls and directly go to airport for NZ trip:--D

[h4te]

is NEO showing the match? because cricinfo is doing a ball-by-ball update of the score with commentary....and they watch the games on tv to do it!

[Chandan]

Yes. They are showing it live. I must watch how Sreesanth bowls. Keep this thread alive in the meanwhile.

[h4te]

:omg: goes on a hunt for links

[Chandan]

Bad bowling by Sree. Instead of keeping the ball up to give it a chance to swing he kep in straying in line and kept on banging it short! Speed was not terrible for first over. It was around or just over 130 mark.

[h4te]

looks like Sreesanth is struggling big time. 2 no-balls, wides, bowling all over the place...according to cricinfo. any links? please DONT pm. :pray:

[Chandan]

Disappointing bowling by Sree even in the second spell's forst over. First few balls were off target and were a waste of new ball and energy. Then a wide, noball...he finally got Parthiv to edge to slips but the cordon there was not alert and ball flew to thirdman instead. If Sree doesn't keep his mind clear about what he has to do, I'm afraid he won't get success even if he is fully fit. Worrying thing. I thought a fit Sree would be a certainty for NZ!

[Shane]

Pujara next !!!

[Chandan]

Duleep Trophy Final, 2009 - Preview South Zone v West Zone, Chennai M Vijay and Sreesanth boost South Cricinfo staff February 4, 2009 Match facts February 5-9, 2009 M Vijay returns to the South Zone team after missing the first two games due to injury. © Getty Images The Big Picture The Duleep Trophy semi-finals ended in comprehensive wins for both finalists, but West Zone have more reasons for concern ahead of the big clash. None of their batsmen managed to score a century against East Zone - despite their prolific run in the Ranji Trophy - and some lacklustre fielding ended up delaying their semi-final victory. Wasim Jaffer, the West captain, admitted his side was poor in the field; he dropped two easy chances at slip himself. Parthiv Patel was the worst offender, putting down three catches behind the wickets and missing an easy stumping. South Zone boast a better team on paper, even in the absence of VVS Laxman, and their top order is in excellent form, with S Badrinath, Rahul Dravid and Robin Uthappa scoring centuries in their team's demolition of North Zone. Dinesh Karthik was among the runs in the previous game against Central Zone, scoring a hundred in each innings . The pitch at the Chidambaram Stadium is likely to be batsman-friendly as always. Teams South are without L Balaji - who has replaced an injured Munaf Patel in Sri Lanka - but will be buoyed by the return of Sreesanth and opener Murali Vijay, who needs a big score to make it to the Indian Test squad for New Zealand. Goa medium-pacer Robin D'Souza takes Balaji's place but is unlikely to play. South (probable): 1 Abhinav Mukund, 2 Murali Vijay, 3 Robin Uthappa, 4 Rahul Dravid, 5 S Badrinath (captain), 6 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 R Ashwin, 8 M Suresh, 9 Shadab Jakati, 10 Sreesanth, 11 R Vinay Kumar. Considering batting is the key, West are likely to revert to the five-bowler strategy, including two spinners this time after playing an extra seamer in the semi-final. Ramesh Powar, who was dropped against East, is likely to replace left-arm fast man Samad Fallah, who was erratic in the previous game. West (probable): 1 Wasim Jaffer (capt), 2 Bhavik Thaker, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Cheteshwar Pujara, 5 Parthiv Patel, 6 Abhishek Nayar, 7 Kedar Jadhav, 8 Ramesh Powar, 9 Dhawal Kulkarni, 10 Rajesh Pawar, 11 Siddarth Trivedi. Quotes "There are a few players - Jaffer, Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Dhawal Kulkarni - who want to move to the next level which will only help us to match the opposition." Praveen Amre, the West coach, feels his players are hungry for success, despite South having a better team "on paper". "Obviously, we will miss Balaji, but we are planning to go in with five bowlers and if our batting fires, then we would be in a strong position. The pitch looks dry and is likely to take turn as the match progresses." S Badrinath, the South captain, chalks out his plan for the final. Another POV Battle of equals : Chance for aspirants to stake claim S. Ram Mahesh South Zone takes on West in Duleep Trophy final from today KEY PLAYERS: South Zone’s cause will be well served if Sreesanth and Rahul Dravid deliver against West in the Duleep Trophy final beginning on Thursday. CHENNAI: Over the last few years, the Duleep Trophy has suffered an identity crisis of a severity customarily reserved for red-headed middle sons. Changes in structure and format — and the corresponding broadening of the Ranji Trophy — have left the Duleep Trophy unsure of its significance to the Indian domestic system. Where it once addressed the need to match the best against the best, forming the layer beneath international cricket, it now answers to less lofty aspirations. But this year’s five-day final, scheduled to get underway at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Thursday, is invested with a significance the tournament’s architects will be pleased with. Sub-plots Not only does the final feature the two sides that contested the inaugural edition’s title clash in 1961-62 (West Zone and South Zone), thus establishing a neat historical twist, but also contains several sub-plots. For one, the contest provides both the setting and the opportunity to press claims for the tour of New Zealand later this month. Cricket allows the individual to pursue his agenda within the framework of the team, and over the next few days, this dynamic will be stretched. As India’s tour to New Zealand approaches, there could be a few last-minute vacancies up for grabs. Not surprisingly, those elusive spots have received the most hype and attention in the build-up to the Duleep Trophy final between South Zone and West Zone that begins on Thursday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Even as the likes of Wasim Jaffer, Parthiv Patel and S Sreesanth gear up to make an impression on the national selectors, it’s also time look back at a West-dominated 2008-09. “As long as the individual isn’t self-centred it’s fine,†said West Zone captain Wasim Jaffer. “In any case, individual contributions often serve the cause of the team. If one of us goes out and gets a big hundred it will only help West.†With four of the five selectors watching this game, the many Test hopefuls will be anxious to put on a good show. There will many individual battles too. M Vijay, back after missing the first two games and P Patel will up against D Karthik for the second ‘keeper’s slot, while Kulkarni, Trivedi and Sreesanth will be looking to make into the team as a seamer. South Zone —which will be led again by S. Badrinath in V.V.S. Laxman’s absence (because of a twisted ankle) —will want to claim a trophy that has eluded it since 1995-96. “I’m really looking forward to this opportunity,†said Badrinath, whose double-hundred was instrumental in the semifinal win over North. “Everyone talks about how strong West’s batting line-up is, but we can’t ask for anything more in our batting. If our batting fires, no one will be able to stop us.†West zone The Mumbai duo of Jaffer and Ajinkya Rahane led the pack as seven of the top-ten run-getters in the Ranji Trophy Super League this season were from the West. Similarly, the bowling list was jointly led by Mumbai’s Dhawal Kulkarni and Saurashtra’s Ravindra Jadeja — with 42 wickets apiece — while there were four others from the region in the top ten. While West had the most number of teams in the Super League, it also gave two of the semi-finalists, Mumbai and Saurashtra. And a victory over a strong South Zone outfit in their backyard would be the perfect icing on the cake for Jaffer and his brigade — a feat that the Mumbai captain thinks won’t be easy. South Zone carry the momentum of two outstanding performances against Central and North, with West, who have played only one match, could find themselves in the backseat. “They have a full-strength squad this time around and have registered two convincing victories. Our win against East, on the other hand, was not our best performance,†he says. Jaffer, who smashed a fantastic triple ton the last time he batted in Chennai, is optimistic that his bowlers have enough credentials to combat the in-form opposition batting line-up. Apart from being the most prolific run-scorer by a distance, Jaffer also managed to lift the Ranji Trophy in his debut as captain, and the Duleep Trophy will be a perfect way to cap the season. South zone Meanwhile, South Zone captain S Badrinath, who replaced the injured VVS Laxman, insists that he has a wonderful opportunity to lead his team to their first victory in 13 years in the zonal competition. “Everybody has been talking about West’s formidable batting line-up. But with the likes of Dravid, Uthappa and Karthik, we are equally good on that front,†he says. The Tamil Nadu middle-order batsman reveals that Murali Vijay, who comes back from a finger injury, will definitely play in place of Abhinav Mukund, while Sreesanth will replace Laxmipathy Balaji, who earned himself a national call-up. As for incentives, Jaffer believes that any major performance during the match will definitely get due notice from the selectors. “A great individual performance will anyway benefit the team’s cause. A double-hundred or a ten-wicket match haul can even bring those who are not presently in the reckoning to the fore,†he says. Bowling Emboldened by the richness of their batting, both sides have committed to playing five bowlers. South, stripped of Lakshmipathy Balaji’s stellar services after the seamer was called up to the Indian squad in Sri Lanka, will play three spinners to exploit a dry track that is likely to aid turn. The West batsmen will have to fire on all cylinders against a five-man South attack, including three spinners, if they are to make a match out of it. West have only two spinners. Off-spinner R Powar, will have to work in tandem with his once Mumbai partner, R Pawar. With S Trivedi and D Kulkarni settling into a nice rhythm in the second innings last week, the third seamer’s role should go to A Nayar. Sreesanth is back Sreesanth, who has recovered from an illness that kept him out of the semifinals, will share the new ball with R. Vinay Kumar. The left-arm spin of Shadab Jakati is expected to complement the off-spin of R. Ashwin and the leg-spin of the impressive M. Suresh. In batting, a fit-again M. Vijay will replace Abhinav Mukund at the top of the order. West Zone didn’t reveal the composition of its bowling attack, although it is learnt that off-spinner Ramesh Powar, who was left out of the semifinal against East, is in the reckoning. The teams (from): West Zone: Wasim Jaffer (capt.), Bhavik Thaker, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Parthiv Patel (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Abhishek Nayar, Siddarth Trivedi, Dhawal Kulkarni, Rajesh Pawar, Ramesh Powar, Samad Fallah, Ameya Shrikhende, Ajitesh Argal, and Azar Bilakia. Coach: Praveen Amre. South Zone: S. Badrinath (capt.), M. Vijay, Robin Uthappa, Rahul Dravid, Arjun Yadav, Dinesh Karthik (wk), M. Suresh, R. Ashwin, R. Vinay Kumar, Sreesanth, Shadab Jakati, Saurav Bandekar, Abhinav Mukund, Robin D’Souza, Anoop Pai, and Rohan Prem. Coach: Vijay Bharadwaj. Umpires: Marais Erasmus (South Africa) & Amish Saheba; Third umpire: Shahvir Tarapore. Match referee: Sunil Chaturvedi.