Discuss   |      Email   |      Print   |   Get latest news on your desktop

Uttar Pradesh [Images] comfortably booked a semi-final berth in the Ranji Trophy tournament courtesy a first innings lead over Gujarat in the drawn quarter-final in Vadodara on Monday. 

Resuming at 289 for eight, Uttar Pradesh finished their second innings at 375 and with a healthy first innings 188-run  lead, they set Gujarat an improbable 564-run target in 56 overs.

In reply, the hosts managed 106 runs for loss of three wickets and match ended in a draw thus sending last-year's runners-up into the last-four stage.

UP will clash with Tamil Nadu next week for a place in the final.

Earlier, overnight unbeaten batsmen Praveen Gupta and Mohd Amir Khan [Images] continued to play aggressively and added 125 runs for the ninth wicket for UP.

Left-hander Gupta played a stylish knock of 74 runs, studded with three sixes and nine fours while Khan hit 56 runs helping himself with 11 fours.

Off-break bowler Monish Parmar claimed five wickets to emerge as the most successful bowler for Gujarat as the hosts bundled out the visitors in 31.1 overs.

Chasing 564, Gujarat had a shaky start, losing two wickets -- Priyank Panchal and Niraj Patel -- when the scoreboard was reading just 10.

Opener Modi, who was playing the last match of his Ranji and first class cricket career, stood like a rock and struck an unbeaten 57 runs off 148 balls, containing nine fours.

Modi and Bhavi Thakkar (31 not out ) stitched an unbeaten 54 runs for the fourth wicket.