Saurashtra entered the Ranji Trophy Plate division final after their semi-final against Madhya Pradesh ended in a draw in Rajkot on Sunday.

The hosts advanced to the summit clash with Rajasthan, who had made the grade earlier, by virtue of their first innings lead.

Saurashtra scored 416 in their second essay, setting Madhya Pradesh a target of 438 in 50 possible overs on the fifth and final day.

The visitors managed 261 for five in 43 overs before the captains agreed to call halt to the proceedings.

Sachin Dholpure and Naman Ozha added 72 runs for opening wicket in just 10 overs before the former was run out for 33 (34b, 4x4).

Ozha 80 (68b, 8x4, 1x6) tried hard to maintain the run rate with Amay Khurasia 27 (26b, 3x4) and Devendra Bundela 59 (54b, 4x4x, 1x6) but their hopes came to an end with Bundela's exit.

Left arm leg spinner Rakesh Dhruv picked two for 38 while S Jobanputra and J Shah took one wicket each.

Earlier, Saurashtra resuming at their overnight score of 327 for 8, added 89 runs, with overnight batsmen Shitanshu Kotak 55 (210b, 5x4) and Sandip Jobanputra 48 (104b, 8x4).

Yogesh Golwalkar and T Sudhendra shared four wickets conceding 93 and 87 runs respectively.

Scorecard

Saurashtra (1^st innings): 296

Madhya Pradesh (1^st innings): 275

Saurashtra (2^nd innings): (over night 327 for 8)
Kanaiya Vaghela b Golwalkar 54
Sagar Jogiyani c Ozha b Sudhendra 80
Prashant Joshi lbw Sudhendra 71
Feroz Bambhania b Golwalkar 4
Kamlesh Makwana c Ozha b A Rajan 33
Shitanshu Kotak lbw T Sudhendra 55
Jaydev Shah c A Rajan b Golwalkar 2
Benson Songaonkar b Golwalkar 7
Rakesh Dhruv b Sudhendra 27
Sandip Jobanputra c R Bakshi (sub) B A Rajan 48
Sandip Maniar not out 0.
Extras: (b-8,lb-9,nb-17,w-1) 35
Total: (all out in 191.3 overs) 416

Fall of wickets: 1-127, 2-146, 3-157, 4-263, 5-270, 6-273, 7-284, 8-322, 9-410.

Bowling: Sanjay Pandey 27-3-74-0, T Sudhendra 40-16-87-4, Anand Rajan 38.3-16-97-2, Abbas Ali 13-6-28-0, Devendra Bundela 14-5-20-0, Yogesh Golwalkar 56-23-93-4, Brajesh Tomar 3-3-0-0.

Madhya Pradesh (2nd innings):
Sachin Dholpure run out 33
Naman Ozha st Jogiyani b J Shah 80
Amay Khureshia c Vaghela b R Dhruv 27
Devendra Bundela c Jogiyani b S Jobanputra 59
Mohnish Mishra c Jobanputra b R Dhruv 6
Brajesh Tomar not out 37
Abbas Ali not out 3
Extras: (b-6, lb-5, nb-1, w-4) 16
Total: (for 5 wickets in 43 overs) 261

Fall of wickets: 1-72, 2-146, 3-151, 4-166, 5-252.

Bowling: Sandip Jobanputra 13-0-66-1, Sandip Maniar 6-0-43-0, Kamlesh Makwana 3-0-24-0, Rakesh Dhruv 7-0-38-2, Shitanshu Kotak 1-0-19-0, Jaydev Shah 6-1-36-1, Benson Songaonkar 5-1-20-0, Feroz Bambhania 1-0-4-0, Prashant Joshi 1-1-0-0.