Aakash Chopra

Rajkot: North Zone piled on the misery of East Zone bowlers as double-centuries from opener Aakash Chopra and captain Mithun Manhas almost ensured their team in the final of the Duleep Trophy.

At the Madhavrao Scindia ground Wednesday, the duo, resuming on 109 for two, carried on from where they left Tuesday to put on a monumental unbroken 368-run third-wicket stand. Manhas finally declared at 459 for two, setting a mammoth target of 677, and leaving the East batsmen to face 12 overs before stumps on Day III.

Wriddhiman Saha, who was the only batsman to make a substantial contribution in the first innings, was promoted to open the innings. However, the Bengal batsman fell to Rajat Bhatia for two. At stumps, East were struggling for 28 for one. Skipper Shiv Sundar Das from Orissa was unbeaten on 18 while Bengal’s Arindam Das was batting on two.

It was a frustrating day for the East bowlers with left-arm spinner Tushar Saha bearing the brunt, sending down 43.5 overs, nearly half the total bowled, in the innings. The Tripura bowler conceded 192 runs without a wicket.

North skipper, Manhas, who top-scored in the first innings with a brisk 88, needed just 255 balls to crack his 205 with the help of 27 boundaries and two over-boundaries. Chopra, who also scored an identical 205 not out, was sedate in his 301-ball knock which included 21 fours.

This was Manhas’s maiden first-class double while for the former Indian opener, Chopra, this was his third in the last six months.

Chopra made 215 against Himachal Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy in December and an unbeaten 239 against the visiting South Africa A in September.

As of now, North and East share the lead in group A with five points apiece while South have no points from two matches. North and East are playing their second match in the league. Even a draw with first innings lead will ensure last year’s winners North Zone in the final.

In group B, England Lions have five points from one match, while West have three points also from one match. Central have one point. A draw will help the Lions make the final, while West have to earn a win (four points) for a place in the summit clash.