another brute as Jadeja gets one to turn sharply into the batsman
Mumbai vs Saurashtra, 1st Semi-Final at Chennai, Jan 04 2009 - Ball by Ball Commentary
And UP have done it. UP to face Mumbai in Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy final. What an sensational marathon effort from Shivakant Shukla. Praveen Gupta hit a boundary off Bala to trigger of celebrations and the entire UP team invaded the field. Spirited effort from TN, mainly from Bala, the one-man army. Match has been called off. What a day for Shukla. He was under severe pressure early this season to hold his spot after his failings last year but they gave him a chance because of his experience and he has come through. And how. Fab stuff.
That's it from us. See you in the final on the 12th of this month.
Just 5 runs more.
The target has come to 10 now. Shukla edged one off Ashwin in the last over, but it fell short of gully.
TN fans might know it as OJM - JM stands for Just Missed. O ... well .. this is a family site. Let's see whether there is any final twist here. Just 12 runs more.
UPdate Just 13 runs now. Shukla hits one boundary off the last ball of an over, and Gupta off the first ball of the next. What a game.
Mumbai Saurashtra game has been called off. Mumbai through to finals. I will be here to give updates till we know whether UP or TN gets the lead. So hang on.
Two big lbw shouts, first two balls for Praveen Gupta, No. 10. Bala on fire.
UPdate And there is a turnaround here. Bala provides the twist with his fifth wicket. Amir Khan is gone. Still 25 required, and two wickets in hand. It's Bala v Shiva now.
Shiva, 166 not out, has now been at the crease for a whopping 797 minutes, making it the fifth-longest innings in first-class cricket, tied with Sir Len Hutton's 364 runs. UP need 25 more.
Mandatory overs to start. 30 runs and three wickets is the equation.
UPdate: UP need 30 more. Still three wickets in hand. Shiva, on 162, has batted for 782 minutes, and is 14 minutes short of overtaking Kotak's 796.
At tea, UPneed 42 more. Shiva still batting at 157 from 511 balls. Meanwhile it's drizzling in Chennai.
Tea break has been taken in the Saurashtra v Mumbai game. In the UP game, it's still 4 minutes away.
They now need 45 more. Three wickets still in hand. What an innings this has been from Shivakant Shukla.
UP update: They are still stuck on 399. 47 runs required. Ashwin got edge off Shiva, but it fell short of Badri at first slip.
Once again the light meters are out and various numbers are flickering on the screen. It reads 2.2 and off walk the players. Well it's not stumps yet. If there is an improvement in the light conditions then the players will troop back in ( For what purpose you might ask?)
outside the off stump, Nayar comes forward and defends it
Again light is offered to the players but they are continuing
now there's the wicket. Mazumdar, wants the ball to drop dead onto the pitch as he comes lunging forward. He has clearly failed to read the delivery as all he manages to get is an outside edge back to the keeper. He has to wait for the final now to get to the record
pushes it to midwicket and runs hard for a couple
comes forward and pushes it to leg side for a single
And Shiva has reached 150, easily his best effort in a six-year-old career. Yestrday, 103 not out, he was saying his job is only half done. He wanted to see the team through. Will he manage to do it? UP need 50 more, three wickets in hand.
comes forward and defends it back onto the pitch
outside the off stump, cut to point for another single
short outside the off stump, Rohit rocks back and cuts it to sweeper cover. Runs hard for a couple
driven back to the bowler yet again
fuller outside the off stump, Rohit drives it back to the bowler
comes forward and defends it back onto the pitch
fuller outside the off stump, drives it to silly point
Light is offered to the batsmen and it does not come as a surprise that they want to continue. Reasons are obvious
outside the off stump, Mazumdar drives it with some power to mid-off
comes forward and defends it
outside the off stump, comes forward and pads it away
beats the outside edge with a ripper
fuller outside the off stump, Rohit drives it to long-off for a single
outside the off stump, Rohit stands tall and punches it to the off side
on the middle stump line, goes on straight, pushed away