India Pistons, Chemplast set up title showdown

India Pistons completed a thumping innings and 25 run victory over Indian Airlines on the third and final day of their Coromandel Cement Trophy semifinal game at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore today. Resuming at 104/4 in their second innings, Indian Airlines still required 47 runs to make their opponents bat again. But the last five wickets fell in a heap as they ran out of steam for 126 in the 34th over. Last man Harbhajan Singh did not take the field. Spinners Balaji Rao and Satyajit Medappa did most of the damage today, finishing with two wickets apiece. R Sathish of Pistons was declared the Man of the Match for his entertaining 82.

Meanwhile at the Rajinder Singh Institute Ground, Chemplast had little trouble in wrapping up their semifinal against Hyderabad by an innings and two runs. Needing to reach 216 to make their opponents bat a second time, Hyderabad could only post a score of 214/7 by the time their 40 overs second innings quota expired. Santosh Yadav made an unbeaten 42 while Fiaz Ahmed struck a lusty 58 (50 balls, 4 fours, 3 sixes). For Chemplast, seamer L Balaji picked up one more wicket today to finish with a match haul of 8/170. He was declared the Man of the Match. Chemplast and Pistons will square off in the final at the Chinnaswamy Stadium from August 15-17.