Bengaluru, Jul 12 (IANS): Bowlers starred for West Zone as they reduced South Zone to 182/7 and took control at the end of rain-hit day one of Duleep Trophy final at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, here on Wednesday.

On the opening day of the summit clash, only 65 overs were bowled after most of the final session was washed off by rain.

For South Zone, their skipper Hanuma Vihari and Tilak Varma added 79 runs for the third wicket. While Vihari scored 63 off 130 balls with nine boundaries, Varma made 40 off 87 balls with five fours and one six.

The day began with Chintan Gaja taking out R Samarth, who nicked behind to wicketkeeper Harvik Desai. Mayank Agarwal made a streaky 28 off 47 deliveries and even completed 7000 runs in first-class cricket, before being dismissed by medium pacer Atit Sheth.

Vihari and Varma, the Hyderabad batting duo, survived long spells without getting runs but the duo ensured they stayed at the crease. But after the lunch break, Varma fell after nicking behind to Desai.

His dismissal caused a fall in the run-flow and that led to Ricky Bhui nicking behind again to Desai off Gaja, followed by Sachin Baby giving a catch to short mid-wicket off left-arm spinner Shams Mulani. Vihari marched forward to get his fifty, before he was castled by Mulani in the 58th over, as tea break hanged around.

After tea, play could not begin immediately as rain came calling, with Washington Sundar and R Sai Kishore at the crease. Just as it felt like stumps would happen, the match resumed between two rain breaks and Sai Kishore was taken out by Arzan Nagwaswalla before the play came to a close.

Brief Scores: South Zone 182/7 in 65 overs (Hanuma Vihari 63, Tilak Varma 40, Shams Mulani 2/19, Chintan Gaja 2/27) against West Zone