South collapse after Uthappa century

On a green surface in Lahli, South Zone were put in to bat, and for three-fourths of the day Robin Uthappa and the top-order kept East Zone at bay. Towards the end of the day though, East sliced through the middle-and lower-order to leave South gasping at 236 for 9.

South Zone, packed with eight Karnataka players including the top four, began well. Uthappa, who was dropped on 10 by Sudip Chatterjee, and KL Rahul started slowly but stuck together for more than 25 overs on a testing pitch. Rahul was then bowled by a swerving Laxmi Shukla delivery, bringing in Karun Nair. Uthappa dominated a 94-run second-wicket stand with Nair, before Nair became Shukla's second victim.

Uthappa was involved in a third substantial partnership on his way to his 15th first-class century as he and Manish Pandey added 74 for the third wicket before Pandey fell attempting a wild shot. Eight balls later, Uthappa was caught behind off Rana Dutta and the collapse was under way.

B Aparajith was taken out by a peach from medium-pacer Basant Mohanty, before Dinesh Karthik was bowled by Shukla. Two deliveries later, South captain Vinay Kumar was caught and bowled by Shukla for a duck, and by stumps South had lost seven wickets for 25 after having been 211 for 2.