The Duleep Trophy final is poised for a thrilling finish with Central Zone requiring 141 runs to clinch the title on a lively track at the VCA cricket ground in Nagpur.
Central, who dismissed North for 169 in their second innings, are yet to open their account in the second innings after facing only two balls before the second day's proceedings were called off due to bad light 19 minutes ahead of the scheduled close on Wednesday.
Earlier, Central Zone, overnight 94 for 4 in their first innings, added just 39 runs as they lost their remaining six wickets and were all out for a meagre 133 off 49.3 overs.
Medium pacers R S Sodhi (3 for 10) and Gagandeep Singh (3 for 52), put North Zone back in the match with their fine performance as the Central zone batsmen surrendered without any resistance.
Amit Bhandari, 2 for 43, and Joginder Sharma, 2 for 27, also exploited the seaming conditions.
North Zone again made a poor start in their second essay, losing two early wickets -- of Akash Chopra (2) and R S Sodhi (1).
Opener Ravneet Ricky (37) and skipper Dinesh Mongia (23) held the innings briefly with a 48-run third wicket stand before pacer Harvinder Singh struck.
Harvinder (3 for 17) sent back Mongia and Ricky in the space of just one run while Sanjay Bangar trapped Mithun Manhas (1) leg before to send North reeling at 5 for 66.
Bangar, who maintained a consistent line, soon removed Joginder Sharma while Manvinder Bisla (12) fell to Harvinder as North were reduced to 82 for 7.
North were rescued from further humiliation by a 59-run eighth wicket stand between Sharandeep Singh (34) and Amit Mishra (28) who helped them to 169 all out in 61.4 overs.
With three days' play still remaining, Central batsmen will need to show all their skills to knock off the required runs.
On the other hand, North will again be looking at their four-prong pace attack to exploit the overcast conditions expected tomorrow.
Brief scores:
North Zone (1st innings): 104 all out (J P Yadav 5 for 26, R S Sodhi 27)
Central Zone (1st innings): 133 all out (N Ojha 55, M Kaif 28, Gagandeep Singh 3 for 52, R S Sodhi 3 for 10)
North Zone (2nd innings): 169 all out (R Ricky 37, Sangram Singh 34, S Bangar 3 for 39, Harvinder Singh 3 for 17).
