Malinda Warnapura's gritty ton could not halt North Zone's march to it's 17th Duleep Trophy title as they beat Sri Lanka [Images] A by eight wickets at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday

Warnapura scored an unbeaten 149 to help the Sri Lankans to 426, but a target of 87 was never enough as North romped to victory in 18.1 overs. Aakash Chopra backed his first-innings hundred with an unbeaten 51 as North Zone finished at 87 for 2.

North remain the most successful team in the history of Duleep Trophy and had last won the trournamnet in 2003-04 in Mohali.

The victory was inevitable once Sri Lanka A lost the plot in their first innings being skittled out for a paltry 296 on a batting pitch.

North piled on their agony, hammering 636 for 7 before declaring the second innings.

With a 300 plus run deficit on their shoulders, the task was cut out for the visitors. They had lost the first four wickets on Wednesday and resumed 81 runs behind on the final day.

Chamara Silva, Kaushal Silva and Rangana Herath all got quick starts but were done in by their flamboyant strokeplay. At the other end was Warnapura, all resolve or skill. On 82 overnight, Warnapura was cautious while in the nineties, but brought up his hundred with a four off Ashish Nehra and collected three more in the bowler's next.

Warnapura battled amidst the ruins as Sri lanka A raced towards their doom.

Rajesh Sharma, the Punjab offspinner, picked two more wickets to finish with season's second first-class five wicket haul. Nehra, who looked rusty and out of sorts, got the wickets of Kaushal and Herath, while Mithun Manhas got one to ensure an Indian victory.

North reached the target of 87 losing Ricky and Gambhir, but an undefeated 51 from Chopra saw North cruise to victory.

Scorecard

Sri Lanka A 1st innings 296

North Zone 1st innings 636 for 7 decl

Sri Lanka A 2nd innings
M Vandort b Rajesh Sharma 37
M Udawatte c Rawat b Joginder Sharma 28
M Warnapura not out 149
T Samaraweera b Rajesh Sharma 31
J Mubarak lbw b Rajesh Sharma 36
C Silva lbw b Joginder Sharma 34
J Silva lbw b Nehra 35
B Herath c Gagandeep Singh b Nehra 23
A Ganegama c Nehra b Rajesh Sharma 4
D Prasad lbw b Rajesh Sharma 17
I Amerasinghe c Chopra b Manhas 1

Extras (b 8, lb 11, w 1, nb 11) 31     

Total (all out; 113 overs; 495 mins) 426     

Fall of wickets: 1-71, 2-71, 3-139, 4-229, 5-272 , 6-316 , 7-346 , 8-370 , 9-417 , 10-426

Bowling: Nehra 30-6-124-2, Gagandeep Singh 18-4-58-0, Rajesh Sharma 43-12-119-5, Joginder Sharma 18-2-95-2, Manhas 4-1-11-1

North Zone 2nd innings (target: 87 runs)
A Chopra not out 51
G Gambhir c Vandort b Herath 16
RS Ricky c sub (BMAJ Mendis) b Mubarak 18
Joginder Sharma not out 0
Extras (nb 2) 2     

Total (2 wickets; 18.1 overs; 80 mins) 87     

Fall of wickets: 1-25, 2-83

Bowling: Ganegama 6-0-24-0, Amerasinghe 2-0-6-0, Herath 7.1-0-42-1, Prasad 1-0-12-0, Mubarak 2-0-3-1