When a bowling attack has two India internationals in Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar, the expectation is that they will do most of the damage. It is not often, then, that a domestic pacer bowling alongside them stands out more.On Sunday, Abhijit Sarkar did just that on the opening day of East Zone’s Duleep Trophy semi-final against Central Zone at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) Ground 1 in Bengaluru.Sarkar made the early inroads before Shami and Mukesh used the older ball well as East Zone bowled Central Zone out for 266 in 80.1 overs on Day 1. Sarkar finished with 3/38 from 16.1 overs, including six maidens, while Mukesh took 3/56 and Shami 2/42. First-class debutant Kounain Quraishi also took two wickets when Central Zone threatened to recover.East Zone were familiar with the conditions, having won their quarter-final against North East Zone at the same venue, and made a strong start after opting to bowl. Shami began by testing Aman Mokhade and Aryan Juyal, but Sarkar provided the breakthroughs. He hit a good length consistently and found enough away movement to have Mokhade caught by Abhimanyu Easwaran at slip.Four overs later, he struck again. Sarkar brought the ball into Kunal Chandela, who tried to work it through the leg side, played around it and was trapped in front. Chandela reviewed, but ball-tracking returned three reds, leaving Central Zone 36/2.Sarkar’s impact went beyond the wickets. His accuracy made scoring difficult and allowed East Zone to maintain pressure when Shami and Mukesh were out of the attack. His first eight overs cost a mere 13 runs. Anukul Roy also kept things tight as Central Zone rebuilt.The pressure showed in Rajat Patidar’s innings. The Central Zone captain took 35 balls to reach double figures before Shami returned and began troubling him. He nearly bowled Patidar off an inside edge and then beat him outside off.Story continues below this adThe wicket eventually came through Mukesh. A short ball outside off caught Patidar half-committed to the pull and an under-edge crashed into the stumps, sending him back for 12.As the early moisture eased and the ball grew older, Shami and Mukesh came into their own. Mukesh ended Juyal’s 113-ball stay for 46, getting the ball to move away slightly and take the outside edge. The on-field umpire gave it not out, but stand-in captain Vaibhav Sooryavanshi successfully reviewed the decision. Sooryavanshi had taken charge after Kishan left the field with a right-thumb injury. Kishan later returned to captain, although Kumar Kushagra continued behind the stumps.Shami then came from around the wicket to dismiss Yash Rathod for 27 with a delivery that left him late and found the edge through to Kushagra, reducing Central Zone to 125/5.Rinku Singh then led Central Zone’s recovery. He looked comfortable against pace and spin, with his back-foot play against the pacers standing out. Harsh Dubey offered support, and the pair added 55 for the sixth wicket. While Rinku handled Shami and Mukesh well, Dubey attacked the spinners, going over the infield when they bowled full and cutting when offered width.Story continues below this adJust when Central Zone were fighting their way back, Quraishi struck. The debutant trapped Dubey leg-before for 27 after Kishan, persuaded by Sooryavanshi, reviewed the original not-out decision with barely a second left. Ball-tracking showed three reds, giving Quraishi his maiden first-class wicket and ending the 55-run stand.Rinku reached his fifty from 71 balls with an inside-out boundary through the covers off Quraishi. The off-spinner struck again when Saransh Jain played back to a straight ball and was trapped leg-before for 13.Mukesh then returned to take the wicket East Zone needed most. Coming around the wicket, he bowled short, and Rinku went for the pull, only for Roy to take a fine catch at deep mid-wicket. Rinku departed for 60, having held Central Zone’s innings together.Shami added his second when he had Arshad Khan caught at slip for one. The wicket was his 900th across first-class, List A and T20 cricket, making him only the sixth Indian pacer to reach the mark.Story continues below this adEast Zone, however, had to wait for the final wicket. Aryan Pandey and Yash Thakur added 45, the second-highest partnership of the innings, as Pandey’s 22 and Thakur’s unbeaten 30 off 26 balls lifted Central Zone from 221/9 to 266. Sarkar eventually returned to dismiss Pandey with the second new ball and take his third wicket to give East Zone the advantage after Day 1.Brief Scores: Central Zone 266 all out in 80.1 overs (Rinku Singh 60, Aryan Juyal 46; Abhijit Sarkar 3/38, Mukesh Kumar 3/56, Mohammed Shami 2/42) vs East Zone.At CoE Ground 2: North Zone 195 all out in 59.1 overs (Qamran Iqbal 76; Vidwath Kaverappa 4/66) trail South Zone 40/2 in 18 overs by 155 runs.