Naman Ojha extends hot streak with 217

Naman Ojha scored his second double-century in three first-class matches to power Central Zone past 500 against North Zone in Mohali. Ojha's last four first-class innings now read: 219*, 101*, 110, 217, as he kept up his campaign to secure a national spot.

He put together a 72-run stand with Piyush Chawla for the sixth wicket, before the lower order chipped in with cameos as the score swelled to 536 for 7. The last three wickets though went down for two runs, with Ojha being the ninth to be dismissed.

The attention then turned to the big names in the North top order. The young Jiwanjot Singh perished early bringing together the old firm of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir. Sehwag made a typically rapid 32, hitting six fours in a 22-ball effort, before being bowled by Pankaj Singh.

Gambhir went on to make his first first-class half-century of 2014, and Yuvraj Singh, who has hardly played major competitive cricket since the IPL, provided him company with an unbeaten 25. The pair put on 70 for the third wicket as North ended the day on 130 for 2, still a long way away from Central's total in what is shaping up to be a first-innings shootout.