Duleep Trophy Live Score, Day 2, quarterfinals: Mantri, Vivek take Central lead past 120; North East 65/3 chasing 540 at stumps

A good day on the field for Central Zone as they restricted East Zone for 122 before the openers put up a 64-run stand to extend the lead to 124. They will be hoping to add as many as they can tomorrow to kill the game off before the fourth innings.

In the other quarterfinal, Nishant Sindhu’s 150 and Harshit Rana’s maiden First Class hundred helped North Zone to 540/8 declare. Three North East Zone wickets falling before the end of play and North Zone will be looking to finish the game off tomorrow by picking up 17 wickets. Stay Tuned to Sportstar’s live blog for all the action on Day 3.

Covers are back on. End of day’s play should be called soon.

- Ashwin Achal from Bengaluru

WICKET!! The captain Jonathan departs for 15 and it is the first innings centurion Harshit Rana making an impact with the ball this time.

R Jonathan 15(30) lbw Harshit Rana

Lamichaney and Jonathan continue in pursuit of the mammoth 540. Rana in to complete the pending deliveries in his over.

NORTH EAST ZONE TRAIL BY 489 RUNS

Umpires are not completely happy with the outfield. The super sopper is on the ground now.

- Ashwin Achal from Bengaluru

Rain has stopped now. The umpires are having a look at the ground. Ground staff have started removing the covers. Play should start soon.

Play will start at 4.25, the umpires have stated.

- Ashwin Achal from Bengaluru

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Manisankar Murasingh, the silent achiever, gets his moment in the sun

Raised on the outskirts of south Tripura before picking up the game in Agartala in the early 2000s, Murasingh has come a long way.

Match suspended. Heavy rain and the covers come on. The good news - the ground will be ready for action almost immediately after the rain stops.

- Ashwin Achal from Bengaluru

50 up for North East in their mammoth chase of 540. After losing two early wickets, Nilesh Lamichaney and captain Rongsten Jonathan have put on 40 runs for the fourth wicket.

NORTH EAST ZONE TRAIL BY 490 RUNS

North East Zone: 26/2 in 9 overs; trails by 514 runs at tea, day 2

Central Zone: 64/0 in 25.1 overs; leads by 124 runs before rain stopped play

Right when the Central Zone bowlers were set to take the game away, rains have marched into Alur to force a stoppage in play at the stroke of Tea. Looks like we’re in for a lengthy even spell as the rain picks up.

- Lalith Kalidas from Alur, Bengaluru

Seamer Baltej holds the key for North Zone. The strapping fast bowler is getting great shape, getting the ball to move slightly away from off. The slip cordon and wicketkeeper are in business.

The North East batters are just inches away from offering catches.

North will hope to get 10 wickets before the close of play today. If this happens, an early finish is on the cards.

- Ashwin Achal from Bengaluru

WICKET! Thankhuma falls for four. Baltej Singh gives a second breakthrough to North Zone as both openers of North East go back cheaply.

J Lalthankhuma 4 (15) c Prabhsimran b Baltej

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Sensible batting from CZ openers Vivek Singh and Himanshu Mantri so far, pacing the innings well. Would be the best batting session of the match so far if they get to Tea unscathed.

- Lalith Kalidas from Bengaluru

Central Zone: 50/0 in 21 overs; leads by 110 runs

WICKET!! Terrible start for North East as opener Lyndoh is bowled by Sid Kaul for 5. Nilesh Lamichaney in at 3.

Kishan Lyndoh 5(10) b Siddharth Kaul

North East Zone set out on their chase of 540. Kishan Lyndoh and Thankuma open the batting. Baltej Singh to bowl the first over.

Himanshu Mantri - 13*(48)

Vivek Singh - 15* (43)

North Zone declared at 540/8 as Harshit Rana goes back not out with his 122* off 86 balls. A huge task ahead for North East is to bat carefully and get closer to the first innings total of Jayant Yadav’s team, while North will try to finish off the game without batting the second time.

A sedate start for Central Zone as openers Himanshu Mantri and Vivek Singh play out the opening spell with utmost care. Porel created a chance, albeit on a no-ball that gave Mantri another life in the second innings.

Central 18/0 in 11 overs; leads by 78 runs vs East Zone

CENTURY! Harshit Rana completes a blitzkrieg hundred, off just 75 balls, to take North past 500. A display of clean striking and pure demolition from the Delhi batter to get to his maiden First Class century in some fashion.

Misery for East Zone. Himanshu Mantri drags one onto the stumps off Ishan Porel but it is deemed a no-ball as the bowler oversteps.

- Lalith Kalidas from Bengaluru

Harshit Rana’s counterattack still goes on as he takes North near 500 with his 120-plus strike rate innings of 74*.

North 485/8 in 130 overs vs North East

Wicket! Sindhu falls after scoring 150. Imliwati gets his second as eighth wicket falls for North Zone

Milestone! 150 up for Nishant Sindhu. Sublime batting from the young man as his innings put North East on the backfoot. North Zone inches close to 500 and the duo of Harshit Rana and Sindhu does not seem to stop anytime soon.

Vivek Singh and Himanshu Mantri get the second innings underway for Central Zone. Central Zone leads by 66 runs.

First Innings:

North Zone - 445/7 (121) - Harshit Rana 51* (38), Nishant Sindhu 139* (225), Dhruv Shorey 135(211)

First Innings:

Central Zone - 182/10 (Rinku Singh 38, M Murasingh 5/42)

East Zone - 122/10 ( Riyan Parag 33, Avesh Khan 3/34, Saurabh Kumar 3/46)

East Zone trails by 60 runs.

East Zone fold for 122, trailing by 66 runs against Central Zone. Saurabh kumar and Avesh picked 4 between them in the morning to push East Zone into a corner. But a steady partnership between Riyan Parag and Mura Singh got them closer to the total. But after Parag fell they lost the remaining wickets in a trice.

In the other game, Nishant Sindhu continued his run-churning journey scoring his 3rd FC ton in the process. Pulkit Narang’ wicket did not stem the run flow as Harshit Rana found his groove, smacking a quick fire 50 to put North Zone in full command. Stay Tuned for the second session.

Harshit Rana smashes the bowling to reach his fifty in 37 balls. Gets to fifty with a monstrous slog to long on. Players waiting for someone to get into the empty stands and retrieve the ball.

- Ashwin Achal from Bengaluru

WICKET!! East Zone is bundled out for 122 on the stroke of Lunch, adding just 90 runs for eight wickets in the morning session. Two poor innings in as many days but Central Zone has managed a vital 60-run lead here.

- Lalith Kalidas from Alur

Ishan Porel 0(2) Run Out Rinku Singh

WICKET!! Akash Deep departs without troubling the scores. A three-ball duck for the pacer. Mavi gets his second of the day. Akash Deep 0(3) b Shivam Mavi

WICKET!! Riyan Parag throws away a solid start, minutes after playing a superb on-drive for four. Tries for another shot across the line but gets a leading edge to mid-off against Shivam Mavi. Riyan Parag 33(46) ct Y R Thakur b Shivam Mavi

Hundred up for East Zone in their first innings. Saurabh Kumar picked three wickets in the first session to put them in trouble but Riyan Parag (22*) and Mura Singh (20*) are getting them closer and closer to 182. EAST ZONE TRAIL BY 75 RUNS

WICKET!! Palzor gets Narang. End of a crucial 130-run seventh wicket stand. Narang flashes at a ball on off and gets the edge. Pulkit Narang 46(120) ct P Prafullomani b Palzor

WICKET!! Avesh Khan cleans up Shahbaz Ahmed for 3 in his second spell of the session. East Zone in danger of conceding a healthy lead to Central Zone here now. Shahbaz 3(15) b Avesh Khan

WICKET!! Third wicket for Saurabh Kumar. Kumar Kushagra misses a straighter delivery that hits the stumps. East Zone in huge trouble now. Kumar Kushagra 0(9) b Saurabh Kumar

WICKET!! Central Zone is on a roll now. Saurabh Kumar cleans up Shahbaz Nadeem who drops back into the crease and loses his leg stump. Kumar Kushagra joins Riyan Parag with East Zone at 59/5. Shahbaz Nadeem 17(47) b Saurabh Kumar

WICKET!! Yash Thakur strikes with his first ball of the morning. Anustup Majumdar pokes hard outside the off-stump and falls caught-behind. Riyan Parag walks in at no. 6. Anustup Majumdar 4(16) ct Upendra Yadav b Y R Thakur

Nishant Sindhu brings up his 3rd FC century!! The 19-year-old from Haryana has put up a tremendous batting performance. North Zone look set for good first innings score. Nishant Sindhu 100 runs in 165 balls (12x4, 3x6)

WICKET!! Saurabh Kumar strikes for Central Zone in his first over. He dismisses a well-set Sudip Gharami lbw for 27. Anustup Majumdar joins Shahbaz Nadeem. Sudip Kumar Gharami 27(51) lbw Saurabh Kumar

Nishant Sindhu - 76* (125); Pulkit Narang - 25* (72)

Jotin Pheiroijam - 2/54 in 21 overs

Kishan Singha - 2/48 in 12 overs

Sudip Gharami - 20* (34); Shahbaz Nadeem - 10* (17)

Avesh Khan - 2/15 in 7 overs

EAST ZONE TRAIL BY 145 RUNS

We are underway in Day 2 of the Duleep trophy quarterfinals.

Nishant Sidhu and Pulkit Narang are at the crease for North Zone against the North East Zone. They will hoping to add to their 60-run partnership and give the team a sizeable first innings score.

In Alur, Sudip Gharami and Shahbaz Nadeem take strike for East Zone, against the Central Zone bowlers. They will be looking to build a partnership after losing both their openers late in the first day’s play.

While you wait for the live-action, check out Murali Vijay speaking on his career, leaving home early, terrible 30s and why he’s done with BCCI with WV Raman on Wednesdays with WV!z

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North Zone: 306/6 in 87 overs vs North East Zone - Dhruv Shorey 135 (211)- Nishant Sindhu - 76* (113)

East Zone 32/2 in 12 overs vs Central Zone 182 all out; East Zone trails by 150 runs - Murasingh 20-3-42-5 for EZ; Avesh Khan 6-2-13-2

Where can you watch Duleep Trophy 2023?

Duleep Trophy 2023 is not shown live or live-streamed in India. You can follow all the latest updates on Sportstar’s live blogs.

Tripura seamer Manisankar Murasingh’s five-wicket haul (5/42) helped East Zone gain a slender advantage over Central Zone on Day 1 of the Duleep Trophy 2023 quarterfinal at the Alur (I) Cricket Ground in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

Featuring in his second Duleep Trophy game, Murasingh claimed his 13th First Class five-for as his side skittled Central Zone for 182. However, East Zone’s reply suffered a quick jolt as Avesh Khan trapped captain Abhimanyu Easwaran for a golden duck with a nip-backer in the second over. Avesh returned to pack Shantanu Mishra for six before Sudip Gharami and nightwatchman Shahbaz Nadeem put East Zone on 32 for two, trailing Central Zone by 150 runs at stumps.

Earlier, East Zone was asked to field by Shivam Mavi on his First Class captaincy debut amidst gloomy skies. Central Zone openers Himanshu Mantri and Vivek Singh dropped anchor against a sharp burst from Akash Deep and Murasingh as a steady breeze blew across the turf. The pair had no boundaries to show until the first roll of spin from Nadeem in the 14th over. Entering his second spell, Murasingh then breached Vivek’s defence with a rising delivery from length and disrupted the stumps.

Check out the full report here - READ

-Lalith Kalidas

North Zone’s Dhruv Shorey (135, 211b, 22x4) and Nishant Sindhu (76 n.o., 113b, 9x4, 2x6) showed the right temperament to keep North East Zone at bay on the opening day of their Duleep Trophy quarterfinal at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Wednesday.

Opener Shorey hit his 11th First Class century, while Sindhu came good at six to push North Zone to 306 for six at the end of the first day’s play.

Minnows North East Zone stuck to a basic plan - keep a good length on off-stump, and play on the patience of the batters. The military medium seamers could not afford to err even slightly in length. The simple ploy worked for the most part, as North Zone lost wickets frequently.

Check out the full report here - READ

-Ashwin Achal

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of day 2 of the Duleep Trophy 2023 quarterfinals played between Central Zone and East Zone at Alur (I) Cricket Ground and North Zone vs North East Zone at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Stay tuned as we bring you all the updates right from the venue!