Rizvi Builder's Mumbai enter semis in Sheesh Mahal tourney

Lucknow, Apr 26 (UNI) Rizvi Builder's Mumbai -- languishing at the bottom of the table -- today came from behind to make way into the semi-final of the 54th All India Sheesh Mahal Cricket Tournament for 'Sahra city Homes Cup' beating Orissa Cricket Association (OCA) by 27 runs at the K D Singh Babu Stadium here.

In the other last round robin group 'A' league match Uttar Pradesh Cricket Assocition (UPCA) maintained their supremecy beating Cricket Association Lucknow (CAL) at the Chowk Stadium by 18 runs sealing their bearth in the semis.

After the completion of league matches of group 'A', UPCA lead the table by winning all the three matches, while Rizvi Builder's mumbai, CAL and OCA have won one and lost two matches each.

The Mumbai team qualified for the semi finals by virtue of better run rate. From tomorrow, round robin league matches for Group 'B' will begin.

Right handed prolific batsman Abbas Raza, who missed his ton by 10 runs yesterday, again proved hard nut to crack for OCA. He scored another half century (54) with the help of five boundaries and two sixes.

The Mumbai team in their 40 overs made 206 losing nine wickets in the process.

In reply, Mumbai bowlers did not allow the rival batsmen to settle down, claiming wickets at regular intervals.

However, middle order batsman Niranjan Behera (65) defied the Mumbai attack to a great extent. The OCA team were skittled for 179 in 37.4 overs.

At the Chowk Stadium, star studded UPCA overcoming a shaky start, accumulated 208 runs -- thanks to an all round display by Man of the Match Praveen Kumar, who first scored valuable 53 runs and then scalped 4 CAL wickets.

For CAL, Arun Sharma scored a laboured 58 runs in the total of 190. Six of their batsmen failed to reach the double figure mark and UPCA won by 18 runs.

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