Skipper Manoj Tiwary continued his blazing form in domestic competitions with a magnificent 151 that powered East Zone to a comfortable 52-run win over North in the Deodhar Trophy semi-final in Mumbai.
Courtesy Manoj's career-best one day knock that came off only 121 balls, East scored 273 for eight in 50 overs.
In reply, North were never in contention as a disciplined bowling effort saw them get all out for 221 in 47.1 overs.
Fittingly, it was the East Zone captain who winded up the innings with the wicket of Sandeep Sharma. Senior Bengal off-spinner Saurashis Lahiri (3/41) bowled brilliantly with able support from Biplab Samantray (2/51), Ashok Dinda (2/59) and Shahbaz Nadeem (1/34).
However the day belonged to Manoj, who certainly staked a strong claim to be included in the 30-member preliminary squad for the World Cup as well as a berth in the team for the tri-series Down Under.
In the past one month, Manoj has scored a century each in Duleep Trophy (vs West Zone), Vijay Hazare Trophy (130 vs Vidarbha)and now Deodhar Trophy (151 vs North Zone).
Tiwary, who had 15 hits to the fence and four sixes, was severe on spinners.
Rishi Dhawan (2/53) and Sandeep Sharma (2/490, who were economical in the beginning were treated with disdain during the death overs.
Such was Manoj's dominance, the next-best score in the East innings was 43 off 61 balls from glovesman Shreevats Goswami, who helped his captain in steadying the innings after a shaky start.
Chasing the stiff target North began poorly to be 29 for 3 before being shot out for 221 in 47.1 overs to leave East comfortable winners. Gurkeerat Singh Mann (83) was the highest scorer for the losers.
In the morning, Manoj showed plenty of fortitude and determination to pull his side out of the woods after they were put in to bat by North on a track offering assistance to the bowlers early on.
Manoj's 151 is the second highest individual score in Deodhar Trophy after Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan's 158 for South Zone versus Central in Jaipur in 2004.
Manoj first upped the ante when he stepped out to offie Parveez Rasool hitting him for a six and a four off successive deliveries.
He then paced his innings to a nicety though he lost partners at regular intervals after putting on 60 for the third wicket with opener Shreevats (43 in 61 balls), to pull the stuttering innings around from 33 for two.
Manoj's 100 came off 93 balls, his third in List A cricket.
Manoj raced from 100 to 150 off just 27 balls – striking 5 fours and 3 sixes – with the last two overs bowled by Rishi Dhawan and Sandeep Sharma taken for 34 runs thanks to his belligerence.
North were never in the match save an odd-partnership between Punjab boys Mandeep Singh (40) and Gurkeerat Singh Mann (83), who added 74 runs for the fourth wicket.
Mann also added 71 for the fifth wicket with Rishi Dhawan (38) but the partnership never looked threatening.
Brief scores:
East Zone 273 for 8 (Manoj Tiwary 151, Shreevats Goswami 43, Sandeep Sharma 3/49, Rishi Dhawan 2/53)
North Zone 221 in 47.1 overs (Mandeep Singh 40, Gurkeerat Singh Mann 83, Rishi Dhawan 38; A Dinda 2/59, B Samantray 2/51, S Lahiri 3/41).
Image: Manoj Tiwary celebrates after completing his century
Photograph: PTI
Sehwag, Gambhir tell North Zone not to consider them for selection
Manish Pandey steers Karnataka to Hazare Trophy semis
Agarwal blasts 162 as Karnataka demolish Andhra
Pujara hits fifty to guide Saurashtra to victory in Vijay Hazare Trophy
Karnataka pip Bengal to set up title clash with Punjab