Patidar century puts Central Zone in command

RAJAT Patidar hit a second 100 in three matches as Central Zone took firm command of the final of the Duleep Trophy at the BCCI's Central of Excellence Ground (1) on Friday.

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In overcast conditions, Patidar, in the company of Yash Rathod, mixed caution with aggression to take the game away from South Zone. The pair put on 167 runs for the fourth wicket; in the process, they also punctured an attack riding high after a string of early wickets in the morning session.

When the morning session began, South Zone knew they needed to make immediate inroads if they had designs of remaining in the contest. That's what the duo of V Kaushik and Gurjapneet Singh produced. They found some appreciable movement off the deck and they used it to challenge both edges. Very soon, Central were reduced to 3/93 after Gurjapneet had picked up two wickets with some nippy deliveries.