Half- fit Jadeja takes Saurashtra to final

New Delhi, Feb. 25: A halffit Ravindra Jadeja proved his worth with a half- century and a brilliant run- out as Saurashtra comfortably beat Andhra by 59 runs to enter the final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

The Cheteshwar Pujaraled team will lock horns with Karnataka in the final on February 27 after a dominating show on a low and slow Kotla track.

Jadeja, who did not play in the quarter- final due to a side- strain, is not supposed to bowl for the next three weeks, but that did not deter him from chipping in with a 51- ball- 56 which helped Saurashtra get out of the rut to post a decent 255 in 49.1 overs.

In reply, Andhra started off confidently but then as it happens with the minnows, they could not handle the pressure on a big day and were all out for 196 in 45.3 overs.

While another left- arm spinner Dharmendra Jadeja ( 4/ 40 in 10 overs) was the pick of the bowlers, Jadeja’s direct throw from short fine leg, accounted for in- form former India U- 19 captain Ricky Bhui ( 13).

Jadeja came to the crease after Cheteshwar Pujara’s painstaking ( 17 off 53 balls) innings ended in a mis- timed pull- shot leaving Saurashtra reeling at 69 for 4. Along with another young left- hander Arpit Vasavada ( 58 off 59 balls, 4x4, 2x6), Jadeja added 113 runs for the fifth wicket. Jadeja’s innings had four boundaries and a six.

Had he hung around, a century was there for the taking before he was runout going for a second run.

Coach Shitansu Kotak, who himself has been a Saurahstra giant during his playing days, want a repeat of 2008 season, when they thrashed Bengal in the final. Scores: Saurashtra 255 in 49.1 overs ( Ravindra Jadeja 56, Arpit Vasavada 58) bt Andhra 196 in 45.3 overs ( B. Sumath 42, Dharmendra 4/ 40).