Ranji Trophy 2012-13: SF Round Up, Jan 16
First Published : 16 Jan 2013, 17:55
Last Modified : 16 Jan 2013, 17:55
1st semi-final
Saurashtra vs Punjab at Rajkot
After hosting its first international – the high-scoring and thrilling ODI between India and England –the newly built Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium is back to staging the Ranji Trophy. In a bid to make the most of the perfect first-day batting conditions on a flat pitch, the home team won the toss and elected to bat first.
However, with two of their star batsmen – Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja – travelling with Team India, Saurashtra managed to reach 274 for 5 when stumps were drawn on the day-one.
There were contributions from veteran opening batsman, Sitanshu Kotak (54) and skipper Jaydev Shah (87) while Sheldon Jackson, is unbeaten on 70.
Punjab’s 22-year-old medium pacer, Siddharth Kaul has two wickets in his kitty while skipper Harbhajan Singh and Taruvar Kohli have picked up a wicket each so far.
Brief Score: Saurashtra 274-5 in 87 overs (Jaydev Shah 87; Siddharth Kaul 2-64) against Punjab at stumps on Day-one
2nd semi-final
Services vs Mumbai at Palam, Delhi
Despite a half-century from Sachin Tendulkar (56) Mumbai find themselves reeling at 199 for 6 at the end of Day-one. This, after their skipper, Ajit Agarkar won the toss.
After Services pacers, Suraj Yadav and Nishan Singh rocked the Mumbai top-order by dismissing Wasim Jaffer, Kaustubh Pawar and Hiken Shah at the team score of 23, Tendulkar and Abhishek Nayar (70) undertook the resurrection work with a partnership of 81 runs.
Tendulkar’s knock was strokeful and fluent. He scored 10 fours and a six during his 75-ball stay at the crease before being dismissed by Avishek Sinha, the 28-year-old left-arm spinner from Bihar.
While his illustrated senior partner took charge, Nayar played a perfect understudy. After Tendulkar’s departure, he continued to hold fort for Mumbai in a 65-run stand with Aditya Tare.
Just as Mumbai’s boat was fighting to stay afloat, Services medium pacer, Shadab Nazar sunk it further by dislodging Nayar and Ankeet Chavan (0) in the span of four balls.
At the stumps, Tare was still battling out with a fighting 26 off 124 balls.
Brief Score: Mumbai 199-6 in 78 overs (Abhishek Nayar 70; Suraj Yadav 2-42) against Services at stumps on Day-one
