From the characteristic twirling of the bat,the spot-jogging and the flexing of the shoulders,its tough to miss the uncanny resemblance that Vijay Zol shares with Vinod Kambli when he walks out to bat. That he bats left-handed and doesnt mind playing his shots only adds to the impression. Also Read: Selectors gamble on Vijay Zol But it doesnt take too long to fathom that he possesses his own share of idiosyncrasies. Zol might be no exception when it comes to batsmen who prefer celebrating a milestone with a quiet,poignant glance towards the heavens. The only difference being that the 18-year-old left-hander arches his neck and looks skywards after every delivery he faces. And religiously so,regardless of whether hes played one of his delectable cut shots or simply defended a ball to cover. Later in the day,Zol revealed that he had followed the routine conscientiously right since his school days,including when he first made headlines for scoring 451 in an under-19 match for Maharashtra two years ago. Also Read: Vijay Zol - Jalna's biggest success story On Friday,the teenaged talent experienced his first outing with the bat in a first-class scenario against a bunch of Kiwis double his size. By the end of it,he had indulged in his superstitious drill on 153 occasions. More importantly,the diminutive lad had along the way proven that he was good enough to hold his own in a mans world. Despite a dashing ton from India A skipper Abhishek Nayar late in the day,it was Zols maiden first-class century on debut that ended up as the toast of the three-day encounter,which concluded in a draw at the Port Trust stadium. And with his stroke-filled 110,he had also proven that his boys-to-men transformation,perceived by some as being premature,had been completed without any setbacks. Batting paradise Zol had been picked for India A on the back of a stellar run in the junior circuit,where he bullied U-19 bowling attacks. Here though the youngster was against a bowling attack comprising two established Test pacemen in Doug Bracewell and Mark Gillespie. But not for a moment did he look overawed or anxious,choosing to take his time to settle in. Having said that,the pitch really didnt possess too many demons. It was the quintessential batting paradise. A better wicket Zol couldnt have asked for on debut. And opener Jiwanjot Singh had blunted the new-ball with a straight,unwavering bat and enviable composure for one so young. Moreover Bracewell and Gillespie no longer possessed the potency that they did during their initial bursts. But still Zol preferred to see off the major threats with stoic defence and decisive footwork,both front and back. The left-handers technique is as uncomplicated as his approach off the field. He has no exaggerated trigger movement apart from a brief back-and across step and retains perfect balance while playing forward and back. More often than not,he meets the ball with his eyes right over it. And even against the short-ball,Zol impressed by riding the bounce and looking comfortable at tucking the ball safely into the square areas. He later admitted that the major difference between the U-19 and senior level were the minimal margins for error here,and the fewer loose deliveries on offer. While the seamers did keep him in check to start with,the New Zealand A spinners hardly proved a bother for the attacking left-hander. Ineffective spinners Both leg-spinners,Todd Astle and Ish Sodhi,failed to turn the leg-break much. And ended up feeding Zol a number of wide deliveries,both full and short,that he feasted on,smashing a number of boundaries to get going. He also indulged in a number of exquisite late-cuts against Astle and Sodhi,as their attempted leg-breaks slid through straight without any deviation. His drives were executed with flourish,with Zol relying more on timing than power. Having got his eye in,Zol was ready for the tougher challenge. As he crossed the half-century mark,he was only growing in confidence that soon transformed into an audacious streak. He recognized the lack of pace on the placid wicket,and didnt mind batting out of his crease against the nippy Gillespie or walking his runs in Ranatungaesque fashion at times. He soon started playing through the line,but always with his front-foot stretched right to the pitch of the ball. Though not tested too severely with bouncers,he did duck under a couple without much fuss and even connected with a powerful pull-shot off Bracewell. Through his junior career,he had displayed a penchant for crafting lengthy essays,despite his natural attacking style. But he only opened up more with the century in his sights,taking full toll of Astle and Sodhi. He was soon stepping out of his crease against the spinners,playing the slog-sweep,never shy of taking the aerial route. A majority of his runs though came through the off-side thanks mainly to the line the Kiwis persisted with. Eventually he hit 19 fours,more than half of them via the cut-shot,including the one that brought up his ton. On a day where he hardly put a foot wrong,Zol finally perished for an unexpected error of judgment against the innocuous medium-pace of Carl Cachopa,playing back to a full ball. But not before he had held court in imposing fashion. Along the way he continued to glance heavenwards,justifying the selectors decision to stick their necks out for him each time he did so. Briefscores: New Zealand A 310 drew with India A 288/7 in 93.5 overs (Vijay Zol 110,Abhishek Nayar not out 102; Todd Astle 3/106,Ish Sodhi 2/100).
