Karnataka pacer V. Kaverappa blew away the North Zone top-order with a fiery spell (6-1-17-5) and bowled South Zone to a massive win 185-run win (VJD method) in the first-round match of the Deodhar Trophy here at the Siechem Stadium here on Monday.
His spell complemented the half-centuries from South Zone top-order - Rohan Kunnummal (70), Mayank Agarwal (64), and later N. Jagadeesan (72) - who powered the team to 303 for eight in 50 overs after electing to bat first.
In reply, North’s innings was left in tatters when Kaverappa struck twice in his second and third overs to leave the Nitish Rana-led side tottering at 19 for four, from which it never recovered. North was eventually bundled out for a humiliating 60 in just 23 overs.
The 24-year-old pacer was unplayable with his probing line and generated good bounce. In the third over, he had the left-handed Abhishek Sharma nicking to the keeper before Shubham Khajuria followed suit four balls later, chasing a wide delivery. In his next over, he had Prabhsimran Singh slicing to the point-fielder, beaten for pace with a part of the bat breaking apart. Two balls later, skipper Rana tried to slash over the off-side, with V. Koushik taking a brilliant diving catch at third man.
The match was stopped thrice from the ninth over due to intermittent rains but it just delayed the inevitable for Rana’s men.
Earlier in the day, skipper Agarwal and his fellow opener Rohan set South Zone on a solid path with a 117-run stand. Between the two, Rohan was the aggressor going for his shots.
The Kerala batter hit pacer Sandeep Sharma for consecutive boundaries off his pads to get going and was impressive through the off-side. The stylish right-hander did not hold back by going aerial, lofting Rishi Dhawan through the covers and cutting Mayank Yadav over the third-man region to collect a few sixes.
Against the spinners, Rohan was effective on the backfoot as he cut and pulled leg-spinner Mayank Markande for a four and six, respectively, the first of which took him past his half-century.
Later, Jagadeesan started cautiously and got his first boundary on 21 as he put away a full toss from Abhishek Sharma for a six before paddle-sweeping the left-arm spinner through the fine leg. He then cut loose going after Rana, hitting the off-spinner for two sixes and a four to ensure South crossed 300.
The scores: South Zone 303/8 in 50 overs (Mayank Agarwal 64, Rohan Kunnammal 70, N. Jagadeesan 72, Ricky Bhui 31) bt North Zone 60 in 23 overs (V. Kaverappa 5/17). by VJD method (North’s revised target: 246 in 28 overs).
