National Cricket Academy roll into semifinals

National Cricket Academy took their appointed place in the MRF-Buchi Babu Trophy tournament semifinals, besting holders Karnataka on the basis of their 83-run first innings lead at the Central Polytechnic- India Pistons ground in Chennai today. The match was called off at tea by which time Karnataka had made 112/3 in their second innings with Vijay Bharadwaj stroking an unbeaten fifty. Earlier in the morning, Bharadwaj had added two more wickets to his kitty to end with the outstanding figures of 6/81. But the man of the moment was Shiv Sunder Das who extended his overnight 139 to 184 before being ninth out as NCA closed on 326.

Resuming on 245/6, NCA lost the hardhitting Ramesh Powar for seven to the wiles of leftarm spinner Santosh Vadiaraj. Sharandeep Singh's stay in the middle was even more ephemeral but after he departed at 262, Das and Rakesh Patel compiled a 67-run association for the ninth wicket. Das' vigil of almost six and a half hours was finally terminated when Bharadwaj had him caught at first slip by AR Mahesh. Soon after Fazil Mohammed was bowled by Sunil Kumar in the 99th over to spell finis to the NCA innings. Das had made over 56% of the total. He made his runs off 296 balls and hit 17 boundaries.

Karnataka's second innings was a highly academic exercise. Rowland Barrington was caught at square leg off Rakesh Patel for a fourth ball duck and Mithun Beerala fell leg before to Fazil Mohammed in the fourth over of the innings for six. AR Mahesh (43) and Bharadwaj (51 not out) had some batting practice before the former was run out by a fluent piece of work from Sridharan Sriram. Bharadwaj's 93-ball knock included five boundaries as the curtain came down at tea with Karnataka on 112/3 from 35 overs. NCA now go on to a semifinal clash with Indian Airlines at the IIT-Chemplast ground from August 28.