Chennai: Spin duo of Iresh Saxena and Anustup Mazumdar helped East Zone beat Central by virtue of 43 runs first innings to lift their fifth Duleep Trophy title.
Left-arm spinner Saxena and leg-break bowler Majumdar accounted for nine wickets amongst themselves to bundle out Central for 189 in their first innings.
Central in reply to East’s 232, never could get going in the match and apart from the opener Tanmay Srivastava no one looked comfortable on the slow turning pitch.
Srivastava played a patient knock and held the innings but then lack of support from one did Central in.
He eventually fell six short of his century after he gave an easy catch to Ishank Jaggi at forward short leg. He scored 94 off 252 balls laced with eight boundaries.
Iresh ended with his career best figures of five for 58, while Majumdar returned with figures of 4-29.
It was in fact Mazumdar’s introduction to the bowling attack that tilted the match in their favour. He took few quick wickets and Central who were at a comfortable 147-4, were all off a sudden down to 165.
Seizing the opportunity East attacked on all guns and soon were able to bundle them out, which saw them cruise to their second successive Duleep Trophy crown.
Brief Score:
East Zone 232 (Ishank Jaggi 100*, Jalaj Saxena 5-62) and 8/ 0
Central Zone 189 (Srivastava 94, Iresh Saxena 5-58, Majumdar 4-29)
By Indian Sports News Network