East Zone thrash North East to reach Duleep Trophy semis; West Zone edging close after North fightback
East Zone defeated North East Zone by an innings and 210 runs in a Duleep Trophy quarterfinal on Tuesday to reach the semi-finals, while West Zone moved closer to the last four after North Zone staged a late fightback on the third day of their quarterfinal.
The East Zone match finished inside two and a half days after East posted 467 and North East were dismissed for 111 and 146 in their two innings following a forced follow-on. Left-arm spinner Anukul Roy recorded figures of 15-4-37-5 and, as an India A spinner, took his seventh five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. The report said some of his deliveries turned away while others held their line on the stumps, troubling the North East batters.
North East began the day 7 for no loss but lost wickets at regular intervals, with Pheiroijam Jotin Singh (39) and Akash Choudhary (27) adding 39 for the ninth wicket to prevent a sub-100 total. East captain Ishan Kishan completed five dismissals from behind the stumps, two stumpings and three catches, and handed the ball to 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who responded by taking two wickets. The match concluded when Jotin tried to attack Anukul Roy and was stumped by Kishan. Shahbaz Ahmed was named Player of the Match after compiling 167 runs and taking four wickets.
In the West versus North quarterfinal, West were set a target of 287 and were 195 for three in their chase when captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was run out for 66 off 70 balls. Musheer Khan fell for 96 off 126 balls, missing a century by four runs; he struck eight fours and two sixes. Gaikwad struck seven boundaries, and the pair had shared a 111-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
By stumps West were 220 for seven in 51 overs, with Urvil Patel unbeaten on 17 and 67 runs still required for victory. Earlier in the match North Zone were bowled out for 222 in their second innings, which set the 287-run target after they had secured a 64-run first-innings lead.
Ayush Badoni made 50 and Nishant Sindhu 44 in North Zone's second innings, while Tanush Kotian and Shams Mulani took four wickets apiece for West Zone. In North's first innings Anshul Kamboj scored 60 and Badoni 51 as the side made 251, and West had been bowled out for 187 with J&K left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq taking five wickets for 39 runs.
East Zone have advanced to the Duleep Trophy semi-finals; West Zone require 67 more runs with three wickets in hand to complete their chase and move closer to the last four.
