da bwin： With the result of the match a foregone conclusion there was littleinterest in the last day’s play of the Ranji Trophy semifinal betweenBaroda and Orissa at the Gujarat State Fertilizer Corporation Groundin Baroda on Monday
Staff Reporter09-Apr-2001With the result of the match a foregone conclusion there was littleinterest in the last day’s play of the Ranji Trophy semifinal betweenBaroda and Orissa at the Gujarat State Fertilizer Corporation Groundin Baroda on Monday. About the only interest was whether Baroda wouldwin outright or enter the final on the basis of their first inningslead. Ultimately Orissa’s batsmen, with an improved performance,comfortably foiling Baroda’s bid to register an outright victory.Requiring an impossible 698 for victory, Orissa ended at 361 for fiveoff 82.4 overs when stumps were finally drawn.Baroda were all out in the second innings in the first over afterresumption for 409. There was a brief while when Baroda looked capableof winning the match and this was when Orissa were 53 for two withskipper Shiv Sundar Das (19) being among the batsmen dismissed. Butthereafter it was Orissa all the way. First, RR Parida (71) and SanjayRaul (36) added 67 runs for the third wicket off 21.3 overs. This wasfollowed by a 73-run fourth wicket stand off 19.5 overs between Paridaand Pravanjan Mullick. Parida, one of the leading batsmen for thestate this season, faced 162 balls and hit nine fours. Then Mullickand P Jayachandra (82) made merry as Baroda captain Jacob Martin triedout some irregular bowlers. The two figured in a 168-run associationfor the fifth wicket which lasted 22 overs. Jayachandra was finallyout after facing just 75 balls and hitting nine fours and four sixes.At close, Mullick remained unconquered with 131 off 121 balls. He hit15 fours and six sixes. The match was called off when Jayachandra wasdismissed.Baroda, who are entering the title round for the first time since1957-58, will play Railways in the five day final commencing at Barodaon April 19.