Duleep: Rain plays spoilsport in Gwalior

Gwalior, Oct 22 (UNI) A Duleep Trophy encounter between East and Central zones ended in a draw at the Captain Roop Singh Stadium here today courtesy a pitch dampened by late night rain though the East earned two points on the basis of a first-innings lead.

The visitors scored 245 in the first innings and amassed 330 in the second. In reply, the hosts' first innings collapsed at a paltry 130 and they were at a precarious 145/5 at stumps yesterday.

A sudden squall blew off the pitch cover last night. Umpires Ravi Subramaniam and Suresh Shastri denied permission for play to begin this morning. Efforts to dry the field progressed as per the directives of Pitch Curator Sanjeev Agrawal.

An hour's play was possible after 1515 hrs and Central lost two more wickets. An over was bowled after the drinks break but then a cloudy sky made the batsmen appeal successfully against poor light and rain followed.

UNI MKS-AC 1851