Duleep Trophy 2023: Shorey ton, Sindhu half-century put North Zone in control

Opener Shorey hit his 11th First Class century, while Sindhu came good at six to push North Zone to 306 for six at the end of the first day’s play.

Published : Jun 28, 2023 18:03 IST , Bengaluru - 2 MINS READ

North Zone batter Dhruv Shorey during the Duleep trophy match between North East Zone and North Zone match at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. | Photo Credit: Bhagya Prakash K / THE HINDU

North Zone batter Dhruv Shorey during the Duleep trophy match between North East Zone and North Zone match at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. | Photo Credit: Bhagya Prakash K / THE HINDU

North Zone’s Dhruv Shorey (135, 211b, 22x4) and Nishant Sindhu (76 n.o., 113b, 9x4, 2x6) showed the right temperament to keep North East Zone at bay on the opening day of their Duleep Trophy quarterfinal at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Wednesday.

Opener Shorey hit his 11th First Class century, while Sindhu came good at six to push North Zone to 306 for six at the end of the first day’s play.

Minnows North East Zone stuck to a basic plan - keep a good length on off-stump, and play on the patience of the batters. The military medium seamers could not afford to err even slightly in length. The simple ploy worked for the most part, as North Zone lost wickets frequently.

Only Shorey and Sindhu saw the big picture - one where the loose delivery was just around the corner. When the ball was overpitched or short, Shorey and Sindhu helped themselves to easy runs. A solid defence or a well-judged leave was the response to the good deliveries.

Shorey carried on from the tremendous form he showed in the previous domestic season. The 31-year-old batter finished the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy as the fourth-highest run-scorer, with 859 runs in seven matches. He ensured that the new season also started on a similar high.

All-rounder Sindhu, who was part of the India team which won the 2022 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, put up a dogged fight for nearly 42 overs. The southpaw, alongside Pulkit Narang (23 n.o., 66b, 3x4), pushed back on the North East offensive in the final session. Sindhu and Narang put on 64 valuable runs in an unbroken seventh-wicket stand.

The other North Zone batters will be disappointed to miss out when big runs were on offer. Prashant Chopra (32) was indecisive in a half-hearted leave to a delivery from seamer Jotin Pheiroijam, while Ankit Kalsi (0) flashed at a ball outside off.

Prabhsimran Singh (31) seemed to be stuck in IPL mode, charging at left-arm spinner Imliwati Lemtur and skying one to mid-off.

Captain Jayant Yadav was sent back for a second ball duck, trapped leg-before by left-arm spinner Kishan Singha. An unhappy Jayant hung around at the crease, indicating that he got some bat on it.

Pheiroijam (2/53) was the best bowler on view. The 17-year-old landed it consistently on a tight line and took it away.