Dinda's eight-for takes East to final

New Delhi: East Zone are all but through to the finals of the Duleep Trophy as Ashok Dinda’s fiery spell ensured an all-important first-innings lead of 28 runs against North Zone on the penultimate day, at the Feroz Shah Kotla. The India hopeful had career-best figures of eight for 123 to show for his efforts as North were all out for 287 in reply to East’s first-innings score of 315. At stumps, East Zone were 120 for one with their lead swelling to 148. East Zone have never won the title and will be in the first final of the tournament since the 2005-06 season. Unless Delhi lad Parvinder Awana can do something miraculous, the match as a contest is over, thanks to Dinda’s lion-hearted effort on a not-so responsive pitch. Having taken a couple of wickets on Sunday, Dinda’s figures for the day were 19-2-61-6. Five of the six wickets today were taken from the pavilion end as he bowled into the breeze. (PTI)