A second century in the Deodhar Trophy for Riyan Parag and a superb five-wicket haul for Manisankar Murasingh fired East Zone to a massive 157–run victory over West Zone here on Tuesday.
After Parag’s blitzkrieg — 102 not out off just 68 balls, studded with five sixes and six fours — powered East Zone to 319/7 in their 50 overs, Murasingh ran riot in the West Zone ranks to help his side to a huge win. Chasing 320, the West Zone side was shot out for 162 in 34 overs with the 30-year-old Tripura all-rounder Murasingh returning a stunning spell of 7-1-28-5.
Utkarsh Singh also played an all-round role for East, scoring a half-century and taking three wickets.
For West, Saurashtra opener Harvik Desai waged a lone battle, scoring a run-a-ball 92, but his effort went in vain as Murasingh broke the back of their chase.
Earlier, Parag stole the show with his second century in last three matches, while Utkarsh and Kumar Kushagra struck vital fifties. The left-handed Utkarsh scored 50, while Bengal top-order batter Abhimanyu Easwaran perished for 38 at the top.
Virat Singh made a fine 42 at No.3, but Rishav Das and captain Saurabh Tiwary were dismissed cheaply as East Zone were placed precariously at 157/5 at one stage. But for the second time in this competition, the pair of Parag and Kushagra (53) came to East Zone’s rescue.
The batters put on 150 runs for the sixth wicket to revive East Zone on Tuesday, having done so earlier in the competition when they amassed 235 runs for the sixth wicket against North Zone.
Then starring for East, Murasingh took his first wicket in the fifth over of West’s reply when he pinned Rahul Tripathi in front of the stumps.
Prior to that, Bengal quick Akash Deep had removed Samarth Vyas in the third over.
Murasingh piled up further misery on Sarfaraz Khan — who has been struggling for form and runs — when he cleaned up the Mumbai batter for a mere nine-ball three in the seventh over. West Zone slipped further when their No.5 batter Kathan Patel was caught by Parag off Murasingh in the ninth over.
The outcome of the contest was almost sealed in favour of East when Murasingh struck again, taking a return catch off Shivam Dube’s bat to send him back for a five-ball duck in the 12th over.
Shams Mulani and Atit Sheth then tried to delay the inevitable in the company of Desai, but their resistance did not last long.
Brief scores: East Zone 319/7 in 50 ovs (R. Parag 102 n.o., K. Kushagra 53; S. Mulani 3/45). West Zone 162 in 34 ovs (H. Desai 92 n.o.; M. Murasingh 5/28). East Zone won by 157 runs.
