Central Zone wasted little time in playing themselves into a position of considerable strength on the opening day of their Duleep Trophy match against South Zone at the Bhanasheb Bandokar stadium in Goa on Thursday. After dismissing South for 141, Central replied with 178 for two at stumps.

It was another poor day for South Zone who are lying at the bottom of the points table. Winning the toss, South Zone were rocked by an inspired spell by Devendra Bundela. The Madhya Pradesh seam bowler, who turns 24 later this month, removed openers Sridharan Sriram (14) and A Nandakishore (2) off successive deliveries and got the prize scalp of VVS Laxman (10), all in his first five overs. Hemang Badani (5) and wicketkeeper VST Naidu (4) followed a little later and South Zone were reeling at 57 for five in the 19th over.

Then followed the only stand of note with Vijay Bharadwaj and Sunil Joshi (17) adding 47 runs for the sixth wicket off 10 overs. But the remaining batsmen offered little resistance and it was left to Bhardwaj to put up a lone battle. The former Indian player who had come in the tenth over when Bundela was on the rampage, was last out in the 43rd over for a gallant 50. He batted a shade over 2-1/2 hours, faced 109 balls and hit eight fours. Bundela finished with four for 58 while Jai Yadav picked up three for 46.

Central Zone lost an early wicket through the run out of Jai Yadav. But Gagan Khoda and skipper Amay Khurasiya put Central Zone back on track with a second wicket partnership of 98 runs off 19.1 overs before the latter was out for 51. The former Indian batsman faced just 49 balls and hit eight fours and a six in his aggressive knock. Mohd Kaif joined Khoda and the two placed Central Zone in the lead and carried on unbeaten still stumps. By close, the third wicket pair had added 72 runs off 21.5 overs. Khoda was within striking distance of his hundred. He has compiled his unbeaten 87 off 148 balls with ten fours and three sixes. Kaif is keeping him company on 28. The much vaunted South Zone attack, with six bowlers who have played for the country, picked up just one wicket between them in 45 overs.

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