UP storm into Ranji semi-finals for second consecutive year

VADODARA, Dec 29 (UNI): Last year's runners-up Uttar Pradesh stormed into the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy championship by virtue of their 188 runs in first innings lead over Gujarat as their four-day quarterfinal match ended in a tame draw here today.

The one-sided match was called off after the third mandatory over when Gujarat were 106 for three wickets chasing an impossible victory target of 564 from 56 overs.

Uttar Pradesh will now take on Tamil Nadu in the first semi-finals to be played at Nagpur from January 4.

The star-studded UP, which proved their superiority over Gujarat in all departments of the game right from the day one, thus made it to the last four of the Ranji Trophy for the second consecutive year.

In the last Ranji Trophy, Mohammad Kaid-led UP had got the better of Saurashtra by 48 runs in the semi-finals on day three at Vadodara, but suffered a humiliating 9-wicket defeat at the hands of Delhi in the finals played at Mumbai.

Earlier, resuming at their overnight score of 289 for eight, UP folded up their second innings at 375 barely 20 minutes before lunch as the overnight's nineth wicket pair of Mohammad Amir Khan (not out 56, 194b, 11x4) and Praveen Gupta (74, 108b, 9x4, 3x6) defied Gujarat attack for a record 125 run partnership.

Last year's Plate champions Gujarat, which failed to offer any resistance to UP both in batting and bowling following their first innings dismissal at 117, played sensibly in their second innings piling up 106 for 3 with opener Nilesh Modi and Bhavik Thakar remaining unbeaten on 57 and 31 respectively.