North jolt South on rain-hit day

Only ten overs of play was possible on the second day of the Duleep Trophy final as North Zone finished marginally on top after reducing South Zone to 33 for two in the brief session post tea.

South Zone opted to bat while North received a setback when India discard Gautam Gambhir had to fly back to Delhi owing to viral fever. However, another out-of-favour veteran Virender Sehwag features in the final eleven led by Harbhajan Singh.

North pacers Mohit Sharma and Siddharth Kaul removed openers KL Rahul (9) and Abhinav Mukund (7) respectively. While Rahul was dismissed when he mistimed a pull-shot off a rising delivery from Haryana pacer Mohit, Mukund was cleaned up by Kaul with a delivery that cut back sharply uprooting the middle-stump.

CM Gautam (8 batting) was at the crease with the Baba Aparajith (0 batting).

It was the poor drainage system that has cost nearly two days of play. Despite bright sunshine since on Thursday, two umpires Suresh Shastri and Sanjay Hazare found it difficult to start the proceedings.