Baroda enters semifinals

By Our Special Correspondent

BARODA, MARCH 25.The Baroda bowlers knew they didn't have to do much, expect make the Tamil Nadu batsmen play every ball, sustain the pressure, leaving the lively Gujarat State Fertilizers Corporation (GSFC) wicket to do the rest. The anxiety of scoring 273 runs over two days proved too much for the trigger-happy Tamil Nadu batsmen, who ended up facing the barrel by collapsing to 162 before lunch on the fourth day of the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal tie.

Rakesh Patel claimed 4-47 with a display of probing, aggressive pace bowling, making the ball fly past the batsmen's heads.

Baroda spinners Ajit Bhoite and Valmik Buch capitalised on the Tamil Nadu batsmen's hurry to force the pace against the slow bowlers at the other end, picking up 3-35 and 3-38 respectively. Baroda won the match by a comfortable 160-run margin and a place in the semi-final.

The Baroda bowlers were provided timely support by their fielders, the catches in the deep taken calmly, complementing Connor Williams brilliant effort at short leg to grab a flick by Hemant Kumar, who ended up as Tamil Nadu's top scorer on 56.

He batted freely but kept hoping in vain for support from the other end. The Tamil Nadu left-hander, overnight on 18, saw nightwatchman T. Kumaran guide a Patel delivery into the hands of wicket-keeper Nayan Mongia. Reuben Paul stepped out to smash spinner Bhoite out of the attack, missed the ball and was bowled.

J.Madanagopal joined Hemant Kumar at the crease with Tamil Nadu at 55-5, still 218 away from victory. The two strokeplayers played cautious game, finding the gaps for well-run singles, taking the total past the 100-mark.

Left-arm spinner Buchs was introduced in the eighth over, but Baroda's grip over the match seemed to be slipping away as this sixth wicket stand blossomed, both batsmen using the sweep to score runs off Baroda's leading wicket-taker.

Bhoite, the other spinner, made no impact on Madanagopal, who lifted the ball cleanly twice over long-on for huge sixes. Eventually, Williams came to Baroda's rescue, picking up Hemant Kumar's flick off Buch at short leg.

Tamil Nadu's hopes nose-dived with the subsequent departure of Madanagopal (45 runs, 3x4, 3x6, 67 balls), attempting another big hit but Bhoite making no mistake in the deep.

The closing stages of the match produced a dramatic moment when Ashish Kapoor's slash was picked up by Satyajit Parab at cover.

The umpire disallowed the catch, giving the benefit of doubt to the Tamil Nadu batsman, admitting that he did not have a clear look at the fielders movement. Baroda's frustration at having been denied what it claimed was a legitimate catch was understandable, but the umpires had no television replays or third umpire to bank on.

However, the very next ball by Patel saw Kapoor playing an identical stroke, this time the ball lobbed towards Parab again who made no mistake. Patel rejoiced when the last man M.Srinivas drove uppishly into Williams safe hands, the pace bowler's

fourth wicket in the second innings for a match haul of 6-98. Buch's match figures were 9-92, the most successful bowler.

The scores:

Baroda- 1st innings: 324

Tamil Nadu- 1st innings: 186

Baroda- 2nd innings: 184

Tamil Nadu- 2nd innings: S. Badrinath lbw R.Patel 0, S. Sriram c Patel b Bhoite 25, Hemant Kumar

c Williams b V.Buch 56, S. Sharath c Mongia b Bhoite 1; T.Kumaran c Mongia b R.Patel 3, Reuben Paul b Bhoite 4, J.Madanagopal c Bhoite b Buch 45, S.Mahesh 7 (n.o), A.Kapoor c Jadhav b

Patel 6, Vidyut c Jadhav b Buch 5, M.Srinivas c Williams b Patel 3. Extras (b1, nb6) 7. Total 162.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-35, 3-43, 4-50, 5-55, 6-127, 7-144, 8- 150, 9-159.

Baroda bowling: R. Patel 17.2-1-47-4, I.Pathan (sr) 10-4-27-0, I.Pathan (jr) 7-2-14-0, A.Bhoite 11-5-35-3, V.Buch 11-3-38-3.

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