England Lions' seamers wreaked the Central Zone batting backbone before aggressive batting from Michael Carberry kept their hopes alive in the Duleep Trophy.
VADODAR: England Lions' seamers wreaked the Central Zone batting backbone before aggressive batting from Michael Carberry kept their hopes alive in the Duleep Trophy at the Moti Bagh ground on Tuesday.
On the penultimate day, chasing 296 for an outright victory, the Lions were comfortably placed at 146 for 1 with Michael Carberry batting on an unbeaten 71 and skipper Michael Yardy keeping him company on 57.
Resuming on 23/2, Central Zone's batting line-up was exposed as they failed to negate the quality seam bowling. Overnight opener Sanjay Bangar was first to go when the former Test opener failed to read Graham Onions' length and was trapped in front of the wickets.
Ten balls later, Vineet Saxena (29) departed as Central fell to 39 for four when James Foster made no mistake behind the wickets off the bowling of Onions. Skipper Mohammad Kaif and Harshad Rawale began the repair work with a partnership of 58.
Kaif played the pull shot with authority. Pacer Alan Richardson was smashed over long leg and then Monty Panesar received similar treatment. But just when it looked like the two of them were well set, Rawale fell to medium-pacer Steve Kirby for 25. A few moments later Kaif had his woodwork disturbed when Panesar deceived him.
Central were reduced to 111/6. Kaif made 42. Riding on lower order's batting skills — Sanjib Sanyal (37) and Jalaj Saxena (27) — Central managed to reach 180 before two quick strikes from leggie Adil Rashid halted their innings. The Lions started their journey towards 296 with Carberry and Joe Denly putting on 30 before left-arm spinner Praveen Gupta sent Denly back.
Undeterred by the fall of wicket, Carberry displayed affirmative strokes. In fact in Gupta's one over the southpaw clobbered 18 runs including three fours and one towering six over long off. The Hampshire batsman played some beautiful square cuts and in no time completed his 50 by steering Pankaj Singh to the third man boundary.
At the other end, Yardy who presence was overshadowed by Carberry's stroke play notched up his 50 off 126 balls. The Sussex batsman negated Central spin doctors — Jalaj Saxena and Gupta — with sweep shots. Both the batsmen played chanceless innings during their 116-run partnership to give the Lions upper hand with one day to go.
Scorecard
Central Zone: 270
England Lions: 155
Central Zone (overnight 23/2) 180 (V Saxena 29, M Kaif 42, H Rawle 25, J Saxena 27, S Sanyal 37; Onions 3-40, Richardson 2-50, Kirby 2-38, Rashid 2-3)
England Lions (Target 296 runs) 146-1 (M Carberry batting 71, M Yardy batting 57)
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