Joginder, Gambhir ask questions

The Delhi batsman with an unbeaten 95 puts the issue beyond Central’s grasp

His tale also has a twist. Nobody could overlook Joginder Sharma’s fabulous Ranji Trophy performance this season (39 wickets in seven matches). Selectors had little choice but to give the Haryana all-rounder another chance. But two matches down the line — in the first match he was cooling his heels at the dressing room and in the other at Cuttack he failed to impress — he was dumped again.

And one bad day in the field (4-0-16-0 and just a single off six deliveries), his fantastic domestic run was forgotten. Not many are interested to find the answer now. But Sharma will ask the question. Again and again.

His steely determination to perform remains intact. On Tuesday at Motera, the medium pacer was at his best again, as if wanting to prove a point or two. Playing for North Zone in a Deodhar Trophy match, he sizzled with the ball against Central Zone, claiming four wickets, to put his side in firm control of the match. The opposition could not even play their full quota of 50 overs and were bundled out for a meager 195 runs. And North won the match comprehensively by 7 wickets with a bonus point.

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When he was introduced in the 10th over, Central were already struggling with two wickets down. But Sharma ensured that Kaif and company never recovered from the early jolt. He was swinging the ball both ways and was not afraid to lure the batsman into playing their shots. And hence, he went for runs as he conceded 47 runs in eight overs. But then he picked up four crucial wickets to rip Central’s middle order.

His first victim was Kaif. The batsman played a pull shot to a delivery that was short and wide outside the offstump, managing only a bottom edge for keeper Pankaj Dharmani to take a simple catch.

The next man to follow him to the pavilion was Abbas Ali. He dragged a Sharma delivery on to his stumps. Piyush Chawla was lucky to survive a strong leg-before appeal in the next ball. But the North Zone bowler did not allow Chawla to hang in there for long. Chawla misjudged a good-length delivery and was caught plumb in front of the stumps.

Jai Prakash Yadav departed soon, giving a catch to Shikher Dhawan at second slip, leaving his team tottering at 81 for six. Sharma then got three slips, looking for a hat-trick, but failed to bowl to his field and Rohit Jhalani guided the delivery to deep square-leg.

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Valuable contribution from S Khanolkar (57) and a 50-run 10th-wicket partnership between Murali Kartik (22) and Pankaj Singh (28 not out) ensured Central reach 195.

Another player who made the noise to make his presence felt was Gautam Gambhir who made an unbeaten 95 off 98 balls. He hit 13 fours and one six.

But some noises are never heard.