Bengaluru, Sep 1 (IANS) All-rounders Nishant Sindhu and Anshul Kamboj arrested the slide for North Zone as South Zone bowlers threatened to run away with the game on the third day of the second semifinal of the Duleep Trophy at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 2 in Bengaluru.
North Zone were going strong with opener Sanat Sangwan (76) and Ayush Doesja (52) having put up a 104-run stand for the second wicket, and Ayush Badoni (32) also scoring a crucial 31. But South bowlers Shreyas Gopal and MD Nidheesh triggered a collapse as North were jolted severely from 175/2 to 209/7.
Medium-pacer Vidhwath Kaverappa initiated things when he nicked behind Badoni, before Shreyas and Nidheesh ripped the North Zone's middle-order apart. The two traded the next four wickets with two scalps each.
Leg-spinner Shreyas trapped Abdul Samad in front before medium-pacer Nidheesh ended Sanat's strong stay in the middle to leave North reeling at 192/5. The troubles compounded when Nidheesh dismissed captain Kanhaiya Wadhawa, and Shreyas got Abid Mushtaq.
At 209/7, North had a lead of only 92 and were in trouble. But spin all-rounder Nishant and fast-bowling all-rounder Kamnoj stood to see off the threat and arrest the slide.
The two put up an unbeaten 47 for the eighth wicket and have given hope to North to take their lead close to 200 in a bid for a win on the fourth and final day of the second semifinal.
The third day started when South Zone resumed their charge with the bat from 285/9. Unbeaten centurion and skipper Tilak Varma and Kavuri Saiteja resumed the charge and added crucial 27 runs on the third day before Abid Mushtaq cleaned Saiteja for 13. Tilak went back unbeaten on 116 as South made 312, with Grunoor Brar of North taking 4-88, while Arshdeep Singh and Kamboj scalped two wickets each.
Earlier, South had bowled North out for 195, with pacer Vidhwath Kaverappa starring with a four-wicket haul. Nidheesh and Tanay Thyagarajan also took two each, while Saiteja and Gopal took a wicket apiece.
Brief scores:
North Zone 195 & 256/7 in 66 overs (Sanat Sangwan 76, Ayush Doseja 52; MD Nidheesh 2-47, Kavuri Saiteja 2-34) lead South Zone 312 all out in 100.3 overs (Tilak Varma 116, Shreyas Gopal 88; Gurnoor Brar 4-88) by 139 runs
--IANS
vm/bsk/
