Duleep Trophy Final Highlights, East Zone vs South Zone Day 3: Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar Lead East Zone's Charge

We are back for the post-Lunch session! East Zone have not enforced the follow-on here and will bat again. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhimanyu Easwaran are the two opening batters for them. Also, Tilak Varma has not taken the field, and in his absence, Ricky Bhui will act as the stand-in skipper for South Zone. Mohammed Siraj will start proceedings with the ball. Here we go...

... DAY 4, SESSION 2 ...

Tilak falls agonisingly short - Tilak Varma kept fighting but ran out of partners and saw his magnificent effort end at 99, missing a century by the narrowest of margins. South Zone's inability to put together substantial partnerships ultimately proved decisive, with only Tilak and Padikkal managing half-centuries. East Zone's bowlers shared the workload superbly, Mukesh Kumar claiming three, Mohammad Shami two, and Md Kounain Qureshi and Shikhar Mohan taking four between them. Their effort is even more commendable given Anukul Roy could not bowl after being injured while batting. The only question now is whether East Zone will enforce the follow-on, though having spent more than 100 overs in the field, they may well opt against it. Join us around 7.10 am GMT (12.40 pm IST) for the next session.

New-ball pressure comes to nothing - East Zone wasted no time in taking the second new ball, and Mohammad Shami and Mukesh Kumar immediately found some movement. However, Chama Milind and Tilak Varma countered the threat well, keeping the scoreboard ticking and taking South Zone safely through to Drinks. Milind led the charge, but the momentum shifted once the spinners came on. The turn began to test the batters, and Shikhar Mohan eventually ended the 78-run stand by removing Milind. Vijay then fell to a costly mix-up, leaving Tilak with the tail for company.

6.34 am GMT (12.04 pm IST) - LUNCH, DAY 4! Heartbreak for Tilak Varma as the South Zone skipper falls agonisingly short of a deserved century on 99, bringing an end to a valiant resistance in the session. South Zone added 94 runs while losing 4 wickets in 27.2 overs, but were eventually bowled, conceding a first-innings lead of 372. Despite Tilak's determined fight, the final remains firmly tilted in East Zone's favour, who are now closing in on the Duleep Trophy after a dominant performance.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Tilak Varma falls on 99. South Zone have been bundled out for 336 runs. Md Kounain Qureshi bowls this one full outside off, tempting Tilak Varma into an aggressive lofted stroke straight back down the ground. Varma gets a bit low to power it through the line, but slight deception in flight keeps him from getting the meat of the willow on it. The ball skews high off the toe-end directly back toward Qureshi, who leaps and takes a good catch. East Zone’s players gather around to applaud Tilak as he walks off after a superb knock.

Flighted up, outside off, Tilak Varma cuts it to point.

Short, on off, Tilak Varma punches it to cover.

With the 9th wicket falling, this session has been extended by half an hour or South Zone getting bowled out, whichever happens earlier.

Good length, outside off, MD Nidheesh pushes it to cover.

Hits the deck hard, outside off, MD Nidheesh leaves it alone.

Short, outside off, MD Nidheesh sways away from it.

MD Nidheesh is the last man in.

OUT! LBW! Mukesh Kumar strikes. He comes over the wicket, serves this full and on middle, angling in a bit. Mohammed Siraj gets stuck in his crease and tries to clip it across the line but misses it completely, getting hit on the pads right in front of the stumps. There is a big appeal for LBW, and the finger goes up. Siraj takes the review but more in desperation. UltraEdge confirms no bat involved and Ball Tracking shows three reds, with the ball crashing into the middle stump. The on-field call of Out stands and Siraj takes a review with him. Tilak is stranded on 99 at the other end. South Zone are 336/9, still trailing by 372 runs.

Moves to 99! A low full toss, on the pads, Tilak Varma flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! A bit streaky! Back of a length and on off, nips back in a bit. Tilak Varma gets a bit late to punch it away. It catches the bottom edge of the bat and races past the gully fielder for a boundary. He is just two runs away from his hundred.

Quicker one, short and on off, turns in, Mohammed Siraj stays back and keeps it out.

Dragged back, on off, Tilak Varma punches it down to long on for another run. He moves to 94 now.

Flatter, shortish and on middle, keeps low. Tilak Varma does well to get his bat down to keep it out.

Drops it short, on middle, Tilak Varma pats it down towards short mid-wicket.