East Zone Lead By 584 As Duleep Trophy Final Reaches Last Day

East Zone closed day four of the Duleep Trophy final 584 runs ahead of South Zone, and they have not declared. Ishan Kishan's side reached 212 for 5 in their second innings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. South Zone were bowled out for 336 earlier in the day. One day is left.

Kishan made 80. It took his aggregate for the match to 350, after the 270 he scored in the first innings. East Zone had posted 708 in that innings. South Zone must now bat through the fifth day at Chepauk, or chase whatever total East Zone leave them.

South Zone bowled out for 336

Tilak Varma got closest to changing the shape of the game. The South Zone captain made 99 before falling to Md Kounain Quraishi, caught and bowled, one run short of a hundred. Devdutt Padikkal made 62. Chama Milind added 43 from the lower order.

South Zone resumed the fourth morning on 242 for 6, according to the Sunday Guardian, and added 94 more before the innings closed. Mohammed Shami took two wickets. The last four fell for under a hundred.

The innings ended 372 behind. South Zone had no route back into the match on first innings.

East Zone bat again rather than enforce the follow-on

East Zone had the option. They did not take it. Kishan sent his batters in again instead. That protected a bowling attack which had just worked through a long South Zone innings, and it pushed the fourth-innings target further out of reach.

The decision has cost them nothing so far. They batted through the afternoon and still hold five wickets. Their bowlers get a full day and a second new ball.

The start was poor. Mohammed Siraj removed Abhimanyu Easwaran for 3. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi went for 8, stumped off Tripurana Vijay. Both openers went inside the opening overs. East Zone were 13 for 2.

Kishan's 350 runs in the match

Kishan and Shikhar Mohan repaired it. Mohan made 52. Kishan followed his first-innings double century with 80 in the second, and the pair took East Zone clear of any plausible South Zone reply. Kumar Kushagra was 34 not out at stumps, Quraishi 26 not out.

East Zone second innings at the close:

• Abhimanyu Easwaran 3
• Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 8
• Shikhar Mohan 52
• Ishan Kishan 80
• Kumar Kushagra 34 not out
• Md Kounain Quraishi 26 not out

The last day at Chepauk

The final is scheduled from 6 to 10 September. Thursday is the last day. East Zone hold five wickets in hand and a lead of 584.

Two results are live. East Zone can bowl South Zone out inside the day. South Zone can bat through it for a draw. Kishan has the option to declare overnight and give his bowlers the full day.