North Zone scored their second successive victory in the CK Nayudu Trophy inter-zonal (under-19) cricket tournament at the IIT Chemplast ground in Chennai on Tuesday defeating Central Zone by 26 runs.

The match saw a keen contest between bat and ball. Put in to bat, North Zone made a poor start losing three wickets for 53 runs. But Yuvraj Singh and G Gambhir turned the innings around with a fourth wicket partnership of 133 runs that lasted 24 overs. Gambhir was then out for 53, struck off 64 balls. Yuvraj who had dominated the stand was out in the next over at 201 for a splendid 96. He faced only 94 balls and hit nine fours. An unbeaten sixth wicket partnership of 52 runs in nine overs between A Ratra (22) and SP Singh (29) helped North to post a challenging total of 253 for five in 50 overs.

Central's openers AV Deshpande and A Kapoor gave their team an excellent start putting on 135 runs off 31.2 overs. Kapoor was then out for 59 off 101 balls with three fours. Thereafter however Central lost wickets at regular intervals and they were all out for 227 in 48.3 overs. Deshpande who was third out at 160 hit 71 off 112 balls with four hits to the ropes.

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