Duleep Trophy: Murasingh puts East on top with fifer

BENGALURU: Pacer M Murasingh’s five-wicket haul helped East Zone dominate Central Zone on Day One of the Duleep Trophy quarter-final at the Alur Ground here on Wednesday.

The Tripura quick returned figures of 5/42 off 20 overs as East bundled Central out for a paltry 182 in the 72nd over. At close of play, East was 32 for two and in arrears by 150 runs. In overcast conditions, Murasingh troubled the Central batters with his accuracy and movement.

After dismissing opener Vivek Singh (21), Murasingh removed two lower middle-order batters and a couple of tailenders to finish with a superb fifer.

Rinku Singh is the biggest draw in the Central batting unit, but the left-hander fell to left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem (1/52) for 38. That Rinku was the team’s highest scorer on the day underlined Central’s batting woes.

The lone spell of solidity came when Rinku and wicketkeeper-batter Upendra Yadav (25) added 61 runs for the fourth wicket to lift Central from 86 for four to 147. But Murasingh snapped that alliance to deal a body blow to the Central innings.

North Zone opener Shorey hits century

Opener Dhruv Shorey struck a composed 135 (211 balls, 22 fours) to take North Zone to 306 for six on the opening day of its quarter-final against North East Zone here.

No.6 Nishant Sindhu (76 not out off 113 balls, 9 fours, 2 sixes) also made a significant contribution after North East fielded by choice. Delhi man Shorey was in wonderful touch coming into the match and took his time to settle as the North East pacers – Jotin Singh, Palzor Tamang and Dippu Sangma – found some help early on.

BRIEF SCORES: Central Zone 182 in 71.4 overs (M Murasingh 5/42) vs East Zone 32/2 in 12 overs. North Zone 306/6 in 87 overs (D Shorey 135, N Sindhu 76*) vs North East Zone