East on brink of innings win over North East; North take first-innings lead over West on Day 2 of Duleep Trophy
East Zone moved within sight of an innings victory over North East Zone, while North Zone secured a first-innings lead against West Zone on the second day of Duleep Trophy quarter-finals on Monday.
Shahbaz Ahmed produced a career-best 167 and also took three wickets as East posted 467 and then bowled out North East for 111 to enforce the follow-on; North East were 7 for 0 at stumps in their second innings and required another 349 runs to avoid an innings defeat. Abhijit Sarkar claimed 5 for 20 for North East in the first innings and Shahbaz finished with figures of 3 for 20.
Shahbaz resumed his overnight century and reached 167 off 244 balls, striking 17 fours and four sixes; he shared a 103-run seventh-wicket stand with Anukul Roy, who made 37, and was the last batter dismissed for East. Sudip Kumar Gharami contributed 146 and Kumar Kushagra scored 55 as part of East’s 467, and Pheiroijam Jotin Singh took 3 for 64 for North East.
North East had been 72 for two before a dramatic collapse saw them lose eight wickets for 39 runs; Arpit Bhatewara top-scored with 32 and Rongsen Jonathan made 21. East’s bowling attack completed the innings for 111, leaving the follow-on in place.
In the North versus West quarter-final, West resumed on 31 for two after North had posted 251 but were dismissed for 187. Abid Mushtaq finished with 5 for 39 in 25.5 overs and Arshdeep Singh took 3 for 53; Shams Mulani made 52 and Musheer Khan scored 31 for West.
North began their second innings and closed the day on 107 for four, giving them an overall lead of 171. Ayush Badoni was unbeaten on 39 and skipper Kanhaiya Wadhawan was on eight; Yash Dhull was out for a duck to Mulani after having been dismissed by Shardul Thakur in North’s first innings, and North had selected Dhull ahead of Sanat Sangwan, who had scored 828 runs in the Ranji Trophy.
East could wrap up the contest early on the third day unless weather intervenes, while North will look to push their lead toward 250 on the third day, which the team’s report said could give them a strong chance of defending it.
