da luck： North Zone piled up a massive 708/8 declared on the second day of theDuleep Trophy match against South Zone at the IGMC stadium in Vijayawada onFriday
Staff and Agencies05-Jan-2001North Zone piled up a massive 708/8 declared on the second day of theDuleep Trophy match against South Zone at the IGMC stadium in Vijayawada onFriday. South Zone bowlers had no clue about stopping the North Zone runflow. Dinesh Mongia hit a double century and Virender Shewag blasted aquick-fire hundred to add to South Zone’s misery.Resuming on 336 for three, North kept playing aggressively as Mongia andShewag sent South Zone on a leather hunt. Their fourth wicket partnershipwas worth 178 when Shewag was dismissed for 108 by Sridharan Sriram in the119th over with the total on 507. Shewag’s powerful innings contained 18strokes to the fence and came of a mere 113 balls. Sharandeep Singh joinedMongia in the middle and made 28 before he was dismissed by Laxman. Mongiawho enjoyed the run feast went on to complete his double century and wasthe next batsman to be dismissed for a masterly 201 made off just 266balls. He was at the crease for a little over six hours and smashed 30boundaries and a six in his innings. At that stage the North Zone scoreread 631/6 in the 152nd over.Harbhajan Singh played a little cameo that earned him a run a ball inningsof 41. Singh’s explosive knock included four boundaries and a six before hewas dismissed by Sunil Joshi, who also accounted for the next wicket tofall, that of SV Ghag for 9. Rahul Sanghvi remained unbeaten on 33 withSurendra Singh on 4 as North Zone declared at the end of the 167th over.The South Zone bowlers had to do a lot of work without much reward. Joshiwas the pick of the bowling with figures of 42-3-167-3.When South Zone batted, Sadagopan Ramesh was caught by wicketkeeper Rathouroff the bowling of Ghag for 8 in the fourth over. South Zone sent in ThiruKumaran as the night-watchman, but more disaster was to follow as Sriramwas dismissed caught by Rathour of the bowling of Surendra Singh for 11 tothe last ball of the day. South Zone were 41/2 in 11 overs with Kumaranunbeaten on 21 (4 fours) at the close of play.