Tamil Nadu lift Ghulam Ahmed Trophy

Tamil Nadu, who emerged as leader with 29 points of the South Zone league in the Cooch Behar tournament, lifted the Ghulam Ahmed Trophy, qualifying - along with Andhra - for the knock-out stage from the South Zone.

The tie between the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka under-19 teams was the most eagerly awaited of all the matches in the league, so it must have been a blow for the spectators when the third day was washed out due to rain. Karnataka, winning the toss, opted to bat, but they could only manage 223 at the Guru Nanak ground in Chennai. Opener G Nidhuvan made 62, while Stuart Binny top-scored at number four with 72 off 113 balls, striking seven fours and three sixes in the process.

With T Kumaran taking four wickets, Tamil Nadu had made a good start with the ball. Their essay with the bat too was striking, with skipper Aditya Srikkanth making 100 off 190 balls at the top of the order. He was supported well by K Vasudevadas' 97, and Tamil Nadu reached 332 for nine by the end of the second day. But incessant rain and wet conditions on the final day made play impossible, drawing the match.

The other tie, between Goa and Kerala being played at the CPT-IP ground in Chennai, was also drawn, with hardly an innings and a half being completed inside the three days. Kerala, batting first, were bowled out for 276, with skipper MM Nathani leading the scoring with 108 off 200.

But the opposing captain hogged the limelight himself. S Asnodkar at the top of the order put on 191 for the first wicket, out of which AS Kolambkar made only 52. Asnodkar went on to make 205 off 365 balls, falling only as the fourth wicket with the score on 338. By that time, little possibility of a result remained, and the game meandered until Goa reached 356 for five at stumps on the third day.