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As dark clouds hovered over the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, a tense finish was expected in the final day of the semifinals between South Zone and North Zone. The southern region, with victory in sight, had lost about 100 minutes to the rain. When play resumed at 3:50pm, with South Zone just 32 runs needed and six wickets in hand, light was the only factor standing between them and victory. For the North a draw was enough to set up a final date with West Zone as they took a first innings lead.
When R Sai Kishore deposited Jayant Yadav for six at mid-wicket to seal a two-hole victory for South, he ended an impressive session, which had its share of drama.
Although South Zone only took 5.5 overs in that final session to get their 32 runs remaining, they took 53 minutes to get there thanks to Northern Zone’s time-wasting tactics.
Ricky Bhuy and Tilak Varma were out for the final session and it was clear North were not going to make it easy as they had eight players on the field.
At one point, 5 overs by fast bowlers Baltej Singh and Harshit Rana together took 49 minutes. Over 32, 33 and 36 each took 10 minutes, with Rana taking 12 minutes to deliver 35. Beltig’s 34 took seven minutes as North Zone captain Jayant Yadav changed the pitch for almost every ball. When not changing field he would ask the players to switch position from cover to mid-wicket. A player will be asked to approach, before being told to turn back.
BENGALURU: A groundsman stands on a tarpaulin laid on the field in the rain during the third day of the Duleep Trophy semi-final cricket match between South Zone and North Zone, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Friday, July 7, 2023. (Photo by PTI/Shailendra Bhojak ) (PTI07_07_2023_000218B)
Beltig would start to sprint and drop the ball midway through. Later, he was complaining about dampness in his running area. At the other end, Rana would abandon his ride halfway and ask for sawdust. In another instance, a North team player asked for replacements to help clean the nails on his boots. But the rulers asked them to return. It will take a long time for both substitutes to leave the field.
“I’ve had many games where a team tries to delay the last few times because it gives an advantage, and it’s clearly not their fault. Some will say it’s not in the spirit of the game, but even if I were the captain I would have done the same,” said the captain. Southern Hanuma Vihari district later.
In search of fast tracks, the south will lose the share of Bhui, Varma and Washington Sundar. But Rana’s six KV Sasikant with 14 runs would calm the nerves of Southern Province before he was sacked more later adding to the twist.
It could easily have ended in a frustrating draw for South, who started the day at 21/0, losing wickets by P Sai Sudarsan, R Samarth and Mayank Agarwal.
The teams had an early lunch as rain stopped the play between 10:23-11:50am. Keeping one eye on the fading light, Agarwal’s 57-ball 54 and 42-ball 43 from captain Vihari led south in the second session during which they scored 115 runs in 14.1 overs for the loss of two wickets before torrential rain halted play from 1.50 to 3 :50 p.m.
Elsewhere in Alor, West Zone booked their place in the final on a first innings lead as their match against Eastern Zone ended in a draw after play was halted by rain.
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