Duleep Trophy final: Priyank Panchal keeps West alive

West Zone’s Priyank Panchal celebrates his fifty yesterday. Pic/PTI

Priyank Panchal was expected to play the support role to the host of internationals in the West Zone top order. Instead, the skipper took it upon himself to shepherd a tricky run-chase against South Zone in the final of the Duleep Trophy once V Koushik had blown away the celebrated superstars at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Koushik shines

On Saturday's penultimate day, Panchal held the chase together with an unbeaten 92, occasionally chancy but always unflagging, steering to his side to 182 for five at close, still a substantial 116 away from the target of 298. The loss in the day's penultimate over of the well set Sarfaraz Khan pegged West back, but their end-of-day tally was still a significant improvement on 79 for four after Koushik had packed off Cheteshwar Pujara and Suryakumar Yadav in the same over.

Having played second fiddle to Vidwath Kaverappa in the first innings, Koushik came into his own in the second. He seems to pose little threat when he ambles to the crease, but Koushik's primary weapon is swing, not searing pace. It was he who drew first blood, eliciting an optimistic flat-footed waft from Prithvi Shaw which ended with the batsman dragging the ball on to his stump, with just nine on the board in the eighth over. When Vyshak Vijaykumar trapped Harvik Desai in front, West were stuttering at 18 for two.

Also Read: Duleep Trophy final: Vidwath Kaverappa's seven-for, gritty batters give South Zone control

Panchal and Pujara rebuilt with care and the odd slice of luck as the South bowlers plugged away, sticking to their disciplines.

Panchal was put down low at second slip by his opposite number Hanuma Vihari and picked up streaky boundaries off the inside and outside edges late in the day, but he was the immovable force otherwise, especially pulling up his socks once Pujara fell after a stand of 61, caught at short-leg off the inside-edge, and Suryakumar played the price for an extravagant drive to a ball that nipped back in and trapped him in front.

Sarfaraz scores 48

Sarfaraz was troubled no end by the short stuff the South pacers doled out with regularity, struck on the helmet and the body, but once past that phase, he played handsome strokes and matched his skipper during a fifth-wicket alliance of 98.

With bad light beckoning, West seemed set to go to stumps well in control when, in his 17th over, left-arm spinner Sai Kishore forced Sarfaraz to york himself, leaving the game tantalisingly balanced.

Brief scores
South 213 & 230 (H Vihari 42; D Jadeja 5-40) v West 146 & 182-5 (P Panchal 92', S Khan 48; V Koushik 3-28)