Vadodara storm into Ranji Semis thrashing UP by 5 wickets,

Vadodara, Jan 5 (UNI) Vadodara stormed into the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy Chamionship from Elite Group 'A' registering a facile five-wicket victory against defending champions Uttar Pradesh on the fourth and final day of their 6th round league match at the IPCL Sports Complex here today.

This is second consecutive year that spirited Vadodara have made it to the last four with 17 points from six matches. The winners, who now top the table picking up four points against Kaif-led Uttar Pradesh, will take on Tamil Nadu in their seventh and last league match to be played at Chennai from January 10.

Reigning champions UP on the other hand have to really work hard to avoid the ignominy of their relegation to the Plate Group next year as the side remained at the bottom of the table having bagged only four points so far.

The hosts, who were tottering at 52 for four at one stage while chasing a victory target of 172, coasted to the mark for the loss of five wickets with 42.3 overs to spare, thanks to Irfan Pathan, who hit a scintillating unbeaten 82 off 100 balls with three fours and six huge sixes.

Vadodara, who resumed at the overnight score of 17 for one needing only 155 more runs to win, crashed to 52 for four in the 21st over as UP's two main strike medium pacers--Praveen Kumar (2/46) and Ratnesh Mishra (2/29) ripped through the hosts batting line up.

However, Pathan playing with full confidence consolidated the Vadodara second innings. After putting on 48 runs in association with skipper Jacob Martin (12) for the 5th wicket stand, Pathan along with Himanshu Yadhan (unbeaten 21), led Vadodara to an emphatic five-wicket win against UP with their unbeaten sixth wicket partnership of 72 runs.

UP, who were hoping to make a comeback into the game with Vadodara 4 down for 67 at lunch, were frustrated as Pathan, who was promoted in the batting order to stem the top order collapse, pounded the UP bowlers to reach his 50 of 64 balls with three fours and as many sixes.

After his spectacular unbeaten knock of 82, a beaming Pathan, who was sent back home midway last month from South Africa to regain his form, said, ''Having match practice is very important. Now with my performance in the match against Uttar Pradesh, I am feeling happy and confident. Playing his first Ranji match for Vadodara after he made his Test debut at Adelaide against Australia in December, 2003, Irfan claimed only three UP wickets for 167 runs and was out for nine in the Vadodara first innings in a controversial lbw decision of umpire I Shivaraman.

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