Khoda and Central Zone prolong South's agony

Central Zone, riding on Gagan Khoda's unbeaten 246, piled on the agony for South Zone on the second day of their Duleep Trophy match at the Bhausaheb Bandodkar Stadium in Goa on Friday. Resuming at 178 for two, Central Zone lost only one wicket the whole day while amassing a total of 469 for three. This was in reply to South Zone's first innings total of 141.

Khoda was in his elements. He struck the ball crisply and showed deep concentration and total determination. By close, the 26-year-old right hander from Rajasthan had faced 416 balls and hit 29 fours and five sixes. Khoda, who played in two ODIs against Bangladesh and Kenya in 1997-98, was at ease against the reputed South Zone attack which included Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, Sunil Joshi, Aashish Kapoor, Vijay Bhardwaj and Venkatapathi Raju.

Khoda and the other overnight batsman Md Kaif took the score to 282 before the latter was caught by wicketkeeper Naidu off Kapoor for 69. He batted three hours, faced 179 balls and hit seven fours and a six. The third wicket partnership between Khoda and Kaif added 176 runs off 57.3 overs. That was South Zone's only success of the day for Khoda and Yere Goud then came together to share an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 187 runs off 54.2 overs. At stumps, Goud who got a century in the last match against champions North Zone was on 75 compiled off 163 balls with eleven hits to the ropes. South Zone who are already in arrears by 328 runs face another tiring day in the field on Saturday.