Tariq hits ton as Air India fly into semifinals

A superb century by southpaw Tariq ur Rehman (119) enabled Air India to fly past Central Revenue Sports Board by 68 runs. In the process they booked a berth in the semifinals in the 7th JP Atray Memorial tournament at the Sector 16 cricket stadium in Chandigarh today.

Rakesh Jolly, skipper of CRSB XI won the toss and elected to field. Tariq ur Rehman and Dheeraj Jadhav opened the innings for Air India. Bhupinder Singh (sr) who was bowling an excellent line and length was rewarded when he bowled Jadhav (16) with the scoreboard reading 24 after 8.3 overs. Piyush Soneji joined Tariq ur Rehman and started off confidently. The duo added 86 runs off 114 balls and provided stability to the innings. But while trying to pull a ball which was not exactly short, Soneji was trapped in front of the wicket by Dahiya with the score 110 in 26.5 overs. Piyush scored 34 in 55 balls which included two hits to the fence.

Former Test player Praveen Amre and India under-19 player Neeraj Patel both went cheaply. Sairaj Bahuthule joined Tariq ur Rehman who was holding the fort at one end and they started scoring briskly. The duo added 102 runs in just 88 balls. Bahuthule remained unbeaten with 51 which came off just 47 balls with the help of six powerful hits to the fence. Tariq ur Rehman after completing his 50 off 72 balls changed gear and played a number of elegant shots to all parts of the ground. But he miscued a pull shot off Ranade and was caught at mid wicket by Praveen Thapar. His knock came off 136 balls which included 13 boundaries and two huge sixes. Air India finally posted a respectable total of 249 for six wickets in 50 overs. Praveen Thapper of CRSB XI was the most successful bowler as he captured three wickets for 43 runs.

Chasing a target at the rate of five runs an over, CRSB XI lost the wicket of Bhupinder Singh (sr) in the seventh over. The pinch hitter, trying to clear the mid off fielder, ballooned the ball and was caught by Bahuthule off the bowling off HS Sodhi for just four runs. Satrajit Lehri joined Padamjit and the pair scored at a nifty pace by adding 56 runs off 74 balls. Then Lehri, trying for a big heave was brilliantly caught by Neeraj Patel of Bahuthule with the scoreboard reading 77.

Amre applied a double spin attack in the shape of Narender Hirwani and Bahuthule which paid dividends as both captured two wickets. Off spinner Pritam Gandhe bowled a tight line and length and claimed four vital wickets for just 38 runs.

Except Padanjit Sherawat (53), none of the other batsman stayed at the wicket as the CSRB innings folded up for 180 runs with 2.5 overs to spare.

Tariq-Ur-Rehman was given the man of the match award.