Chennai: Last year`s finalists, Kerala defeated Saurashtra by three wickets to book a semifinal clash against Baroda in the All India Buchi Babu Memorial Cricket tournament here today.
In reply to Saurashtra`s 397 for nine, Kerala`s top and middle-order batsmen chipped in with useful contributions to overhaul the target in 87.3 overs and take their side home.
Abhishek Hedge (47) and V A Jagadeesh (44) put on 78 runs for the opening wicket in 19 overs to give their team a good start.
Kerala batsmen gave a much better account of themselves as the fifth-wicket pair of captain Sachin Baby (74) and Raiphi Vincent Gomes (68) added 88 runs in 18.5 overs.
After their dismissal, Manu Krishnan (35 not out) and Anish (33 not out), who added 64 runs in just 49 balls, ensured their team`s safe passage into the semifinals.
For Saurashtra, medium-pacer Vishal Joshi claimed four for 107 while left-arm spinner Nayan Doshi claimed three for 106.
In the other semifinal, Mumbai will take on Karnataka after both sides registered comfortable victories over their respective opponents.
In the quarterfinal matches, Mumbai defeated Orissa by 112 runs while Karnataka scored a four-wicket win over TNCA President`s XI.
Baroda annihilated defending champions Maharashtra by 154 runs.
After a day`s rest tomorrow, the two-day semifinal matches will be held at IIT-Chemplast and Murugappa Cricket grounds.
Mumbai 257 in 89.5 Overs (Kausthub Pawar 63, Siddhesh Lad 51, Gaurav Jathar 35, Paresh Patel 4/ 95, Biplab Samantray 3/43) beat Odisha 145 in 51.5 Overs (Sujit Lenka 26, Deepak Behera 26, Paresh Patel 24, Haladhar Das 24, Sagar Gorivale 6/42, Gaurav Jathar 2/18).
Baroda 339 in 87.3 Overs (Dhiren Mistry 41, Aditya Waghmode 90, Yusuf Pathan 81, Pinal Shah 80, Satyajit Bacchav 5/82, Srikant Mundhe 2/70, Chirag Khurana 2/90) beat Maharashtra 185 in 58 Overs (Sangram Atitkar 96, Murtuja Vahora 3/17, Ketul Patel3/ 58, Bharghav Bhatt 3/64).
TNCA President`s XI 233 in 89.5 Overs (M Vijay 51, K Shrivasudevadas 98, Sunil Sam 24 not out, Abhimanyu Mithun 3/29, K P Appanna 3/71, R Vinay Kumar 2/29, Rajoo Bhatkal 2/36) lost to Karnataka 237 for six in 70.3 Overs (K B Pawan 37, Robin Uthappa 39, Manish Pandey 59, Amit Verma 82 not out, A Aswin Crist 4/49, R Aushik Srinivas 2/91).
Saurashtra 397 for nine in 90 Overs (Sagar Jogiyani 31, Jaydev Shah 115, Rahul Dave 80, Arpit Vasavada 77, Chirag Jani 29, Sachin Baby 3/64, S Anish 2/74) lost to Kerala 399 for seven in 87.3 Overs (Abhishek Hegde 47, V A Jagadeesh 44, Sanju Viswanadh 66, Robert Fernandez 24, Sachin Baby 74, Raiphi Vincent Gomez 68, Manu Krishnan 35 not out, S Anish 33 not out, Vishal Joshi 4/107, Nayan Doshi 3/106).
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, August 28, 2012, 20:12