Karthik, Crist star in TN's fifth win

Half-centuries from Dinesh Karthik and Ganga Sridhar Raju and a five-wicket haul from fast bowler Aswin Crist helped Tamil Nadu thump Tripura by 262 runs at DRIEMS ground in Cuttack to recording their fifth win in six matches and top Group B. Chasing 338, Tripura lasted just 18.2 overs and were shot out for 75 to finish with three wins and as many losses.

Sent in to bat, TN started cautiously through a 71-run opening stand between Kaushik Gandhi and Raju (77) in 14.5 overs. B Aparajith built on the platform with 41 during the course of a 99-run second-wicket stand before the dismissal of both set batsmen in the space of three balls reduced TN to 166 for 3 in the 30th over. Karthik, who had struck a century and two fifties coming into the match, got into his groove straightaway; hitting 11 fours and two sixes in his 63-ball 81 to help TN more than double their score in the last 20 overs.

Vijay Shankar, M Mohammed and Washington Sundar also came up with sprightly cameos to shore up the total. Smit Patel, the wicketkeeper, was one of three Tripura batsmen to get into double digits; his 22 at the top of the order being the highest of the innings. Crist was complemented by Mohammed and R Rohit, who picked up two wickets apiece.

Unmukt Chand's 78, the highest score of the match, helped Delhi sign-off with a 112-run win over Uttar Pradesh at KIIT ground in Bhubaneswar. Delhi, who were bowled out for 220, also found a hero with the ball in Kulwant Khejroliya. Playing in just his fifth List A game, fast bowler Khejroliya took 5 for 22 to skittle UP for 108. Both sides ended their campaign with three wins and three losses.

Delhi, who were tottering at 85 for 4, were rescued by Chand and Himmat Singh's 86-run stand before losing their last six wickets for 49. Ankit Rajpoot, the fast bowler, was finished with best figures - 3 for 32 - for UP. In reply, they slumped to 16 for 5 in the seventh over, before Rinku Singh (43) and Praveen Kumar (28) swung their way through to delay the inevitable.

Half-centuries from Mohammed Azharuddeen (73), Vishnu Vinod (93) and Sanju Samson (51) helped Kerala end a disappointing campaign on a winning note at the Barabati Stadium they finished with one win in six matches. Kerala, who posted 297 for 9, overcame a late fightback from Himachal to squeeze a 42-run win.

Fabid Ahmed, the offspinner, first sent back the well-set Ekant Sen (43), and then returned to dismiss Sumeet Verma (59) and Pankaj Jaiswal off successive deliveries to tilt the scales in Kerala's favour. He finished with 4 for 38 off 10 overs.

Himachal were bowled out for 255 in 47.1 overs to end the tournament with a solitary win. Opener Prashant Chopra, who struck 50, was one of their bright notes, finishing the tournament as the sixth-highest run-getter, with 329 runs in six matches.