Railways seal semifinal date with Punjab in Ranji Trophy

Railways entered the semifinals of the Ranji Trophy on the strength of their 214 run first innings lead against six time champions Karnataka at New Delhi's Karnail Singh Stadim on Monday. Promoted to open the innings, Karnataka's Barrington Rowland made an unbeaten century as the visitors who were set an academic fourth innings target of 633, closed the game on 279/4. Railways, which finished runners-up to Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy way back in 1987/88, have not had a particularly successful time since. They face the daunting prospect of a clash against Punjab, now installed as title favourites, at Mohali in the semifinals from April 5-9.

Railways resumed their second innings on the fifth morning at 385/6, secure in the knowledge that they led overall by a staggering 599, with four wickets still in hand. The off breaks of Vijay Bharadwaj snared all three wickets to fall as the hosts declared on 418/9.

First innings centurion S Sahu fell in the fourth over of the day for just 23 but the early interest centred on whether Yere Goud, unbeaten on 78 overnight, would get to his century. Goud did not quite succeed, falling for 92 (268 balls, 9 fours and 1 six) and skipper Abhay Sharma closed the innings at the fall of Zakir Hussian five runs later. Speedster Dodda Ganesh collected the best figures of 3/63 while Bharadwaj finished with 3/77.

In the 64 overs that remained, Rowland, who made a century on his Ranji Trophy debut for Karnataka last season, moved serenely to his second ton in the competition, closing on an exact 100 (189 balls, 9 fours). Rowland added 52 for the first wicket with Mithun Beerala, who made a breezy 35 off just 27 balls with eight sparkling boundaries, and another 59 for the second wicket with Vijay Bharadwaj (43). No. 4 GK Arun Kumar, who opened in the first dig, made a brisk 27 including two fours and two sixes.

But Rowland's most dependable partner proved to be wicket keeper Thilak Naidu in whose conmpany he added 104 for the fourth wicket in under 23 overs. Naidu fell for 46, giving off spinner Kulamani Parida his second wicket and the match was called off when Rowland reached his century shortly afterwards.