LUCKNOW, Aug. 31 -- On a day when East Zone bowlers' disciplined displays dominated the scorecard in the Duleep Trophy semifinal at Bengaluru, two Uttar Pradesh batters Rinku Singh and opener-wicketkeeper Aryan Juyal stood out for Central Zone, offering the backbone and most significant resistance in an innings that otherwise struggled for momentum. East Zone's decision to bowl after winning the toss paid immediate dividends as pace spearheads Mukesh Kumar and Abhijit Sarkar combined to bowl out Central Zone for 266. Rinku Singh's 60 off 88 balls with the help of eight hits to the fence was a study in controlled aggression and temperament. Known widely for his power in the shorter formats, Rinku adapted his game to the demands of red-ball cricket, mixing watchful defence with selective stroke-making. After the top order kept losing wickets at regular intervals and Central Zone found themselves reduced to 125 for five by the 45th over, Rinku anchored the middle phase. His 55-run partnership with Harsh Dubey for the sixth wicket briefly stemmed the collapse and shifted the initiative back to the batters. Rinku's knock was notable for its patience-he negotiated the new-ball threat sensibly, punished loose short balls, and rotated strike to maintain scoreboard pressure. Even when the innings lost rhythm later, his knock provided the solidity that prevented a far earlier slide. Earlier opener, Aryan Juyal's 46 was a composed piece of top-order batting that set the tone in the opening exchanges. As an opener and the team's wicketkeeper, Juyal carried twin responsibilities; he combined measured defence with timely forays into the off-side, effectively using gaps and keeping the scoreboard ticking. His approach suggested maturity as rather than counterpunch recklessly against a probing new-ball attack, Juyal chose to wear down the bowlers and build partnerships. Though he fell short of a half-century, his contribution was vital in avoiding an immediate top-order collapse and in giving Central Zone a platform to attempt a recovery. His knock contained six boundaries. Central Zone's innings, however, never fully settled. East Zone's pacers executed plans with clinical precision. Mukesh Kumar finished with 3/56 and Abhijit Sarkar grabbed 3/38, both striking at regular intervals to keep Central's batters under pressure. Mohammed Shami chipped in with two crucial wickets (2/42) and off-spinner Md Kounain Quraishi accounted for two (2/49), including a pivotal dismissal that broke the Rinku-Dubey partnership when Dubey was adjudged plumb in front in the 60th over. Karnataka pacer Vidwath Kaverappa's four-for helped South Zone dismiss North Zone for 195 to take an upper hand on the opening day of their Duleep Trophy semifinal here on Sunday. Kaverappa led a team bowling effort from the South Zone with 4/66 while his Kerala counterpart MD Nidheesh claimed 2/36, and spinner Tanay Thyagarajan returned 2/31. Kavuri Saiteja (1/24) and Shreyas Gopal (1/24) were also among the wickets....