West Zone and North Zone secured semi-final berths in the Duleep Trophy by taking the first-innings lead in their matches against North East Zone and East Zone respectively. (More Cricket News)
While West obtained a massive 367-run lead over North East Zone at the M A Chidambaram Stadium and opted for batting practice on the fourth and final day on Sunday, North rode on a superb ton by debutant Yash Dhull (193) to overhaul East Zone's total.
The Ajinkya Rahane💧-led West Zone were 268 for five when the match ended. Aith Sheth remained not out on 102 (101 balls, 10 fours, 1 six), and Shams Mulani fell for 97 (115 balls, 12 fours), as the match meandered to a draw.
🍸North East bowlers did a lot better in the second innings and had their opponent three down for 49 and 65 for 4 before Mulani and Sheth came together for a 179-run partnership.
🍌Medium-pacer Dippu Sangma (3 for 70) removed Het Patel (7), Rahul Tripathi (24) and Hardik Tamore (24) to keep the West batters in check.
✨In Puducherry, North, resuming on overnight 433 for three, added a further 112 runs before being dismissed for 545. Himanshu Rana made 81 and captain Mandeep Singh hit a patient 63.
🌠North Zone looked set for a huge total but the hard-working left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed came up with a five-wicket haul to restrict Mandeep Singh & Co.
﷽Shahbaz Ahmed's scalps included Mandeep, Himanshu Rana, Nishant Sindhu. He ended the 131-run stand between Mandeep and Himanshu Rana which went a long way in helping East stop North's charge.
﷽Earlier on Saturday, the talented Dhull hammered a superb 193 (243 balls, 28 fours, 2 sixes) to power North Zone's reply to East's first innings score of 397.
Brief scores
At Puducherry🔯: East Zone 397 all out in 136.4 overs (Virat Singh 117) and 102 for 3 drew with North Zone 545 all out in 148.5 overs (Yash Dhull 193, Dhruv Shorey 81, Mandeep Singh 63, Himanshu Rana 62, Manan Vohra 44, Shahbaz Ahmed 5 for 86). (North took first- innings lead and qualified)
At Chennai𒐪: West Zone 590 for 2 in 123 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 228, Ajinkya Rahane 207 not out, Prithvi Shaw 113) and 268 for 5 in 64.3 overs (Atit Sheth 102 not out, Shams Mulani 97, Dippu 3 for 70, Bishworjit 2 for 39) drew with North East Zone 235 all out in 81.5 overs (Ankur Malik 81, Ashish Thapa 43, Hokaito Zhimono 32, Jaydev Unadkat 3 for 35, Chintan Gaja 4 for 38). (West took first-innings lead and qualified).
