North Zone crushed North East Zone by 511 runs in the quarterfinal of the Duleep Trophy at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday.
Jayant Yadav-led North made light of the task in the morning session of the final day, taking the seven remaining North East wickets in quick time.
North will face a far sterner test in the semifinal, which commences at the same venue on July 5, against a strong South Zone.
North East expectedly crumbled under pressure. Overnight batters Palzor Tamang (40) and Nilesh Lamichaney (27) showed some fight to survive the first hour.
Left-arm spinner Nishant Sindhu broke the partnership, taking Lamichaney out with a delivery that jumped from length. From here, wickets fell in a heap, as Sindhu and off-spinner Pulkit Narang ran riot.
The match came to a close before lunch, with Narang claiming four wickets.
Sindhu, who scored 150 in the first innings, was declared the ‘Player-of-the-Match’. His 130-run seventh-wicket partnership with Narang helped the side rack up a big total. “I talked to Narang about having a long partnership. We were looking at 500, and we were able to reach it,” Sindhu said.
Sindhu was signed by Chennai Super Kings in the 2023 IPL auctions, but the all-rounder did not get a game. The chance to interact with CSK skipper M.S. Dhoni, however, benefited the 19-year-old Haryana cricketer. “Dhoni gave me a lot of tips. It is great to be able to implement what he said in matches like this,” Sindhu said.
The scores:
North Zone —1st innings: 540 for eight decl.
North East Zone— 1st innings: 134.
North Zone —2nd innings: 259 for six decl.
North East Zone —2nd innings: Kishan Lyndoh c Prabhsimran b Harshit 14, Joseph Lalthankhuma c Sindhu b Baltej 7, Langlonyamba Meitan run out 13, Palzor Tamang c Ankit b Narang 40, Nilesh Lamichaney c Ankit b Sindhu 27, R. Jonathan c Chopra b Sindhu 11, P. Prafullomani c&b Narang 0, Jotin Pheiroijam c Prabhsimran b Narang 5, Imliwati Lemtur c Narang b Jayant 5, Kishan Singha (not out) 15, Dippu Sangma c Harshit b Narang 6; Extras (b-3, lb-4, nb-4): 11; Total (in 47.5 overs): 154.
Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-23, 3-44, 4-101, 5-117, 6-117, 7-123, 8-127, 9-135.
North Zone bowling: Baltej 4-1-11-1, Harshit 7-1-31-1, Narang 13.5-2-43-4, Jayant 13-3-34-1, Kaul 3-1-3-0, Sindhu 7-0-25-2.
Result: North won by 511 runs.
PoTM: Nishant Sindhu
