BHUBANESWAR 25-Oct-2012 316
Defending champions East Zone, led by Odisha opening batsman Natraj Behera, retained the Duleep Trophy by virtue of a 43-run first innings lead against Central Zone in the final match, which ended in a draw at Chennai today. Bengal left-arm spinner Iresh Saxena and part-time leg-break bowler Anustup Majumdar shared nine wickets amongst themselves to help East Zone won their second successive Duleep Trophy title. In reply to a modest first innings total of 232 by East Zone, Central Zone folded up for 189, losing their last six wickets for 42 runs.
East Zone batsman Ishank Jaggi was adjudged the man of the match for scoring an unbeaten century. Odisha medium pacer Alok Mangarj made his Duleep Trophy debut in this match. Biplab Samantaray and Basant Mohanty were other two Odisha players to play the final for the East Zone team.
