CHANDIGARH, SEPT 14 :Chandigarh defeated Mohali by virtue of their first innings lead of 37 runs and qualified for the final of the Punjab Inter-District Cricket Tournament for the Katoch Shield today. They will take on Ludhiana in a four-day final from September 16 to 19 at the PCA Stadium in Mohali. Resuming at their overnight score of 260 for 6, Chandigarh went on to score 409 in 166.2 overs. Gurinder Singh and Anupam Gambhir were associated in a 106-run stand for the ninth wicket with Gurinder contributing 81 embellished with 11 fours and Anupam Gambhir chipping with a half century with the help of five fours.Left arm spinner Varun Khanna bowled a marathon spell of 68.2 overs of which 20 overs were maiden and he captured 6 wickets for 127 runs. Varun Khanna has been the most successful LAS on display during this tournament. Chandigarh set an impossible target of 447 runs to be scored in 30 overs. Mohali however, made a hash of the proceedings as they were reduced to 72 for 5 in 21 overs before the match was called off with no possibility of an outright result. Mohali lost wickets at regular intervals with LAS Naresh Gogian 3 for 26 and Off Spiner Gaurav Gambhir 2 for 45 weaving a spinning web around the Mohali batsmen. Sumit Ohri with undefeated 25 stood firm amongst the ruins and blocked all efforts of Chandigarh bowlers to force an outright win.
Brief scores: Chandigarh 409 for all in 166.2 overs (Gurinder Singh 81, Anupam Gambhir 50, Viswas Bhala 97, Gaurav Gambhir 121, Varun Khanna 6 for 127).
Mohali (2nd innings): 72 for 5 in 21 overs (Sumit Ohri 25,
Naresh Gogian 3 for 26, Gaurav Gambhir 3 for 25).
In Ludhiana, Ludhiana scored an exciting two wickets win over Amritsar and qualify for the finals. Resuming at the overnight total of 37 for 2 Ludhiana lost their opener Gitansh without any addition to the score when he was snapped by Mayank of the bowling off Bharat Loomba. Gaurav Marwaha was next to go for 29 trapped in front of the wickets by Sumit Sharma.
Then a match winning partnership of 97 runs for the fifth wicket between Karan Goel and Ankur Kakkar dashed the hopes of Amritsar bowlers. Southpaw Karan Goel hammered 72 runs of 96 balls with the help of 7 boundaries and three huge sixes.
Skipper Ankur Kakkar also played a steady knock of 46 runs of 75 balls with the help of six 4s. Sumit Sharma 4 for 58 toiled hard for Amritsar and bowled 30 overs, 7 of which were maiden.
Brief scores: Ludhiana (2nd second innings 233 for 8 in 71.2 overs (Karan Goel 72, Ankur Kakkar 46, Gaurav Marwaha 29,
Sumit Sharma 4 for 58).