The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Railways sitting pretty

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 13, 2005

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Sport - Cricket

Railways sitting pretty

By Our Principal Correspondent

CHENNAI, FEB. 12. Indian Railways' intentions were pretty clear: unsettle the Tamil Nadu attack with some quick runs. Left-hander Jaya Sharma and S. Monica did precisely that, rattling up 45 for the unbroken opening wicket to give their side the psychological edge going into the final day, and the host a sleepless night.

Defending 124 was never going to be easy for Tamil Nadu, certainly not against the star-studded reigning champion on a featherbed at the SRMC, more so in a two-day clash, with time not of much consequence.

The host had pulled it off against Mumbai in a similar situation in the previous round, but then, that was a 50 overs contest and this, 90 overs per side.

At stumps on Saturday, the opening day of the two-day semifinal in the MNMJEC-sponsored senior National women's cricket championship, Railways was in complete control of the situation.

Opting to bat, Tamil Nadu began pretty well, with the southpaw Thirushkamini (42, 116b, 4x4) and Thejashree (22) providing the side with a 44-run start and V. Krithika helping Thirushkamini take the total to 78 with their second wicket stand of 34.

The Railway spinners, left-arm Neetu David and Deepa Marathe and offies Nooshen-Al-Khadeer and Varsha Rapheal, put the skids on the host with their accuracy. Five run outs did not do Tamil Nadu any good either.

Aarthi Sankaran (24, 82b, 3x4), who walked in at No. 5, was ninth out. The skipper's innings was about grit.

In the other semifinal at the Kedar's CA ground, Delhi, put in, was bundled out for 175, by Air-India.

Mediumpacer Jhulan Goswami took four wickets and off-spinner Amrita Shinde, two. At close, Air-India was 70 for two.

The scores (semifinals):

Tamil Nadu 124 in 74.3 overs (M.D. Thirushkamini 42) v Railways 45 for no loss in 17 overs (Jaya Sharma 26 batting).

Delhi 175 in 59.3 overs (Rajni Sharma 54, Reema Malhotra 53, Jhulan Goswami four for 49) v Air-India 70 for two in 33 overs (Anju Jain 37 batting).

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