North Zone are virtually through to the semifinals of the Duleep Trophy championship. Already strongly placed at stumps on the third day, they consolidated their position on the penultimate day of their quarterfinal against South Zone at Agartala on Saturday. They got a first innings lead of 165 runs and then scored 77 for one in their second innings at close of play. With an overall lead of 242 runs, nine wickets in hand and only a day left, North Zone are in a no lose situation.

The day's honours however were cornered by South Zone left hander Sridharan Sarath. On 36 overnight, the Tamil Nadu batsman went on to make 149 not out before South Zone were all out for 424 in reply to North Zone's first innings total of 589.

Resuming at 207 for four, South Zone lost skipper Robin Singh early. The 36-year-old Indian all rounder was caught by Dharmani off Chopra for 28. South Zone lost a sixth wicket, that of Shiraguppi who was held by Dahiya of Navdeep Singh for four runs.

At 222 for six, South Zone were well on the chopping block. But Sarath and Sunil Joshi now came together in a seventh wicket association that revived South Zone's faint hopes. The two left handers put the North Zone attack to the sword and Joshi was in a particularly aggressive mood. Sarath passed his century, Joshi got to his 50, the two posted the century stand. Finally at 366, Joshi was caught by Dahiya off Sodhi for 75. Joshi batted 139 minutes, faced 96 balls and hit 12 fours and a six. The seventh wicket stand had put on 144 runs from 34.3 overs.

The tail consisting of Mahesh, Raju and Mansoor Ali Khan however did not offer much resistance but Sarath was not to be dismissed and remained unbeaten when the innings came to an end. For his 149, Sarath batted a shade over seven hours, faced 316 balls and hit 18 fours and a six. For North Zone, Nehra, Sodhi, Chopra and Navdeep Singh took two wickets each.

When North Zone batted a second time, Ashu Dani and skipper Rathour put on 42 runs for the first wicket before the former was held by Kapoor off Raju for 12. Rathour (45) and Rajiv Nayyar (12) were batting at stumps.

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