Vijay Hazare Trophy: Tamil Nadu record last-ball win, enter finals

Jaipur: Baba Aparajith smashed 122 to help Tamil Nadu eke out a two-wicket win over Saurashtra here on Friday, and enter the final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy One-Day Championship. This was after Saurashtra rode on a blistering 134 by Sheldon Jackson to post an imposing 310 for eight. But Saurashtra’s effort was overshadowed by […]

Jaipur: Baba Aparajith smashed 122 to help Tamil Nadu eke out a two-wicket win over Saurashtra here on Friday, and enter the final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy One-Day Championship.

This was after Saurashtra rode on a blistering 134 by Sheldon Jackson to post an imposing 310 for eight.

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But Saurashtra’s effort was overshadowed by Aparajith’s master-class coupled with half-centuries by his brother Indrajith (50) and Washington Sundar’s (70) late cameo as TN chased down the stiff target in the final ball.

TN needed seven runs off the final over and tail-enders R Sai Kishore (12 not out) and R Silambarasan (2 not out) brought it down to 1 of the last ball off medium-pacer Chirag Jani. Sai Kishore finished off the chase in style with a boundary.

Earlier asked to bat, Saurashtra openers Viharsinh Jadeja (52; 6x4s; 1×6) and Harvik Desai (9) added 31 runs. Medium pacer Silambasaran (3/54) trapped Desai in front of the wicket to give his side the first breakthrough. Then Jackson joined Jadeja and the duo added 92 runs runs for the second wicket.

Jackson, who was more aggressive, upped the ante. It was 23-year-old spinner M Siddharth (1/46), who broke the partnership after dismissing Jadeja. After Jadeja fell, Jackson and Prerak Mankad (37) continued the onslaught.

While Jackson struck 11 fours and four sixes in his 125-ball knock, Mankad hammered four boundaries and a lone six. Jackson and Mankad conjured 81 runs for the third wicket as Saurashtra cruised ahead.

Dhawan shines with all-round show

Rishi Dhawan led from the front with an all-round show as Himachal Pradesh beat Services by 77 runs in the semifinal at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium here on Friday, to set up the title clash against Tamil Nadu.

Batting at No 6, the Himachal Pradesh skipper top-scored with a 77-ball 84 to help his side recover from a mid-innings collapse and prop up a fighting 281 for six.

In reply, Services were bundled out for 204 in 46.1 overs with Dhawan being the wrecker-in-chief with figures of four for 27 from 8.1 overs.

Earlier, Dhawan hit nine boundaries and one six, and got perfect support from Akash Vasisht, who smacked four boundaries and two sixes in his quickfire 45 not out from 29 balls.

Put on, Himachal lost Shubham Arora in the second over of the day and thereafter Prashant Chopra (78 off 109 balls) and Digvijay Rangi (37 off 59 balls) were at their watchful best.

Brief Scores (Semifinals)

Brief Scores: Saurashtra 310/8 in 50 overs (Sheldon Jackson 134, Arpit Vasavada 57; Vijay Shankar 4/72) lost to Tamil Nadu 314/8 in 50 overs (B Aparajith 122, Washington Sundar 70; Chetan Sakariya 5/62).
Himachal Pradesh 281/6 in 50 overs (Rishi Dhawan 84, Prashant Chopra 78; Raj Bahadur 2/52) bt Services 204 in 46.1 overs (Rajat Paliwal 55; Rishi Dhawan 4/27).