Duleep Trophy semifinal: Saxena, Ojha tons boost Central

October 22, 2014 05:49 pm | Updated May 23, 2016 06:52 pm IST - MOHALI

Naman Ojha and Jalaj Saxena of Central Zone played a stable partnership during 1st semi-final of Duleep Trophy tournament played played between North Zone and Central Zone at PCA stadium in Mohali on Wednesday. Photo: Akhilesh Kumar

Naman Ojha and Jalaj Saxena of Central Zone played a stable partnership during 1st semi-final of Duleep Trophy tournament played played between North Zone and Central Zone at PCA stadium in Mohali on Wednesday. Photo: Akhilesh Kumar

The Madhya Pradesh duo of Jalaj Saxena and Naman Ojha made the best use of their experience to score fine centuries and guided Central Zone to a sound total in its first innings on the opening day of Duleep Trophy semifinal match against North Zone at the PCA Stadium here on Wednesday.

Electing to bat, Central was comfortably placed at 344 for the loss of three wickets at stumps, with Ojha (122 not out, 193b, 14x4, 2x6) and Ashok Menaria (53 not out, 93b, 6x4) going strong in the middle.

In the past, Saxena and Ojha have joined forces to serve their state in domestic cricket. This time when their zonal team needed their services, they were up to the task again.

Opening the innings, Saxena put up a 55-run stand with Faiz Fazal to minimize the threat of the red cherry. Even after Fazal got caught behind off Rishi Dhawan and Robin Bist lost his off stump to a breezy delivery from Jammu and Kashmir seamer Samiullah Beigh, the reliable Saxena continued to apply himself with a lot of determination.

The 27-year-old Madhya Pradesh batsman was watchful without being overcautious. Showing his command over placement, Saxena played exquisite off-drives and well-timed cuts in the midst of some solid defence. He exhibited his onside game as well with a few attractive pulls and flicks.

Saxena (110, 187b, 257m, 17x4) flourished in the company of Ojha and reached his eighth first class century by driving leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal past mid-on for a four. He provided strength to the Central innings by adding valuable 140 runs for the third wicket with Ojha.

On a pitch that presented the batsmen enough time to play their shots, the North bowlers struggled to make an impact. Their woes were compounded due to the butter-fingered fielders, who dropped four catches. Rishi Dhawan was the worst affected among the bowlers. He watched in despair as wicketkeeper Nitin Saini grassed Saxena on 75 and Ojha on 27 off his bowling early in the post-lunch session.

Earlier, Ojha, on 12, was let off by Parvinder Awana in the bowling of Chahal.

North paid dearly for these irreparable mistakes as Ojha also struck his 17th first class hundred by cutting Chahal to the third man boundary. Ojha showcased some effortless strokeplay, including a six off off-spinner Parveez Rasool over extra-cover, apart from rotating the strike to keep the scoreboard ticking.

The wicketkeeper-batsman built another century-plus partnership with Menaria to tighten Central’s grip over the match.

North captain Gautam Gambhir marshalled his men well but the desired result eluded the team.

Dhawan, who bowled with a lot of gumption to test the Central batsmen with some short stuff and a testing line outside the off-stump, was finally relieved when he saw Saini pouch Saxena in the final session.

The scores:

Central Zone – 1st innings: Faiz Fazal c Saini b Dhawan 22, Jalaj Saxena c Saini b Dhawan 110, Robin Bist b Beigh 20, Naman Ojha (batting) 122, Ashok Menaria (batting) 53, Extras (b-3, lb-3, nb-11) 17, Total (for three wickets in 90 overs) 344.

Fall of wickets: 1-55, 2-97, 3-237

North Zone bowling: Samiullah Beigh 12-0-68-1, Parvinder Awana 15-5-39-0, Rishi Dhawan 21-2-93-2, Parveez Rasool 16-0-54-0, Yuzvendra Chahal 22-4-74-0, Yuvraj Singh 4-0-10-0.

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