Jharkhand, Hyderabad reach Vijay Hazare semis

Left-arm spinner Anukul Roy picked up a four-wicket haul as Jharkhand beat Maharashtra by eight wickets in a rain-hit match to enter the semifinals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy here on Monday.

The pace duo of Rahul Shukla (3/35) and Varun Aaron (2/47) provided the early breakthroughs before Roy (4/32) ran through the middle and lower order with a career-best effort to dismiss Maharashtra for 181 in 42.2 overs.

Rohit Motwani (52) and captain Rahul Tripathi (47) steadied the ship after Maharashtra lost four wickets for 72 runs.

Jharkhand's chase was halted in the sixth over due to rain, reducing the target to 174 runs in 47 overs before it was revised to 127 runs in 34 overs.

It was a comfortable ride for Jharkhand, who were 89 for two in 27 overs when the target was revised for the second time.

Shasheem Rathour (53 not out off 81) and Saurabh Tiwary (29 not out off 33) ensured Jharkhand got home comfortably, with 10 balls to spare and the loss of just two wickets.

Jharkhand will face Delhi in the second semifinal on October 18.

In the other quarterfinal, Hyderabad beat Andhra by 14 runs. Bavanaka Sandeep top-scored for Hyderabad with 96 off 97 balls as his team posted 281 for eight in 50 overs. Sandeep ended up upstaging Andhra captain Hanuma Vihari, whose 95 off 99 balls went in vain with Andhra managing 267 for nine in 50 overs.

Mohammad Siraj, who was released from the Indian squad after he couldn't find places in the Test squad against West Indies, made an impact with three wickets.

Hyderabad made a competitive 281 after put into bat, even though openers Tanmay Agarwal (31) and Akshath Reddy (18) failed to give a good start, but Sandeep rescued the team by smashing 96 off 97 balls after hitting seven boundaries in the company of skipper Ambati Rayudu (28).

Sandeep left the scene in the last over of the innings after giving a catch to Srikar Bharat off B Ayyappa.

In reply, Andhra fell 15 runs short of their target, despite Hanuma Vihari's 95 and 112-run partnership he stitched with skipper Ricky Bhui.

At 207 for four in 39th over, Andhra were looking to seal the win, but Siraj poured water on to their dreams as they were reduced to 237 for 8 in 47th over.

Ravi Kiran claimed two wickets.

Hyderabad will now face Mumbai in the first semifinal on Wednesday.

Brief Scores:
Jharkhand 127/2 in 32.2 overs (Shasheem Rathour 53*) beat Maharashtra 181 all out in 42.2 overs (Rohit Motwani 52; Anukul Roy 4/32, Rahul Shukla 3/35) by eight wickets (VJD method)