Duleep Trophy: Abid Mushtaq’s five-for gives North a 171-run lead
J. Abid Mushtaq’s left-arm spin produced a five-wicket haul as North moved into a commanding position in their Duleep Trophy quarterfinal at the BCCI Centre of Excellence on Monday, finishing day two with a 171-run first-innings lead.
The Jammu & Kashmir tweaker returned figures of five for 39 as West Zone, which had begun the day 31 for two, was dismissed for 187. Play was curtailed by bad light and rain with North 107 for four in 21 overs, Ayush Badoni batting on 39 (49b, 5x4), and North holding a 171-run advantage with six wickets and two days remaining.
Abid had struck late on the opening day when he castled West opener Prithvi Shaw with a left-arm spinner’s delivery. On day two’s first session he dominated the middle order, bowling 11 overs, conceding 13 runs and taking three wickets, including the scalp of captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Gaikwad was given out after advancing down the pitch as the ball dipped and held its line; he then presented his pad and the umpire raised the finger. Two balls later Urvil Patel was trapped lbw, and Abid completed his five-wicket haul by bowling No. 10 Tushar Deshpande just before tea.
West’s innings had one notable resistance from Shams Mulani, who scored 52 off 94 balls with seven fours and a six, but the rest of the lineup offered little. The side was bundled out in 65.4 overs for 187, leaving North firmly ahead.
On the adjoining ground East Zone, from an overnight 355 for six, closed at 467 in 112.5 overs with contributions from Kumar Kushagra (55), Sudip Gharami (146) and Shahbaz Ahmed (167), then bowled out North East Zone for 111 in 42.5 overs, with Tripura medium-pacer Abhijit Sarkar claiming five for 20; North East were 7 for 0 in one over thereafter.
The scores: North Zone 251 & 107/4 in 21 overs vs. West Zone 187 in 65.4 overs (Shami Mulani 52, Abid Mushtaq 5/39). East Zone 467 in 112.5 overs (Kumar Kushagra 55, Sudip Gharami 146, Shahbaz Ahmed 167) vs. North East Zone 111 in 42.5 overs (Abhijit Sarkar 5/20) & 7/0 in one over.
With two days left in the quarterfinal and six wickets in hand, North lead by 171 runs and resume in a position to press for a first-innings win.
