R P Singh rattles North Zone, Centre win by 161 runs

Bangalore, Mar 17 (UNI) Left arm pacer Rudra Pratap Singh today celebrated his return into the Indian test team rattling North zone by claiming five for 36 and take Central Zone to a commanding 161-run win in the Deodhar Trophy tie here today.

Earlier Central zone made a imposing 293 for 3 after opener Naman Ojha (110) struck a brilliant ton, hitting 10 boundaries and two sixes. Ojha added 161 runs for the opening wicket with Faiz Fazal (66) that left North's a uphill task.

Virender Sehwag, who retained his spot in the test squad, made a blistering 81 that included 11 fours and three sixes in just 71 balls. However R P Singh rampaged the North's top order scalping S Dhawan, Gautam Gambhir and Rajat Bhatia in his very first over.

Needing 294 for a win, North could muster 223 in 42.2 overs.

Put into bat, Central Zone piled up 293 for three in the allotted 50 overs with Ojha and Fazal putting North Zone bowlers on leather hunt. Suresh Raina (42) and Skipper Mohammed Kaif (34 no) chipped in with useful scores.

North Zone, chasing a stiff target 294 for win, withered under R P Singh's attack and lost three quick wickets with no score on the board. It was RP's first over and the second over of the match.

Sehwag was the lone batsman to put up stiff resistance and that too he did with belligerent style hitting 81 in quick time. He added 92 with lefthander Uday Kaul, who came after fall of Under-19 captain Virat Kohli's departure, before getting out leg before in Sandeep Singh's bowling.

Following the Delhi opener's exit the end came soon for North.

This was Central Zone's second win, with the first one being the six wicket victory against defending Champions West Zone here last week.

Brief Scores: Central Zone 293 for three in 50 overs (Faiz Fazal (66), Naman Ojha (110), Suresh Raina (42), Mohammed Khaif 34) North Zone: 223 in 42.2 overs (Virender Sehwag 81, Uday Kaul 55, Amit Mishra 43. R P Singh 5/36, Sandeep Singh 2/43) UNI MSP RS SKB1900