GUWAHATI, May 10 - Former champions NF Railway Sports Association (NFRSA) slipped through to the last-four stage of the Elite Group Senior Inter District Cricket Tournament for the Nuruddin Ahmed Trophy edging past Silchar by the virtue of their just one-run first innings lead.
In reply to Silchar�s first innings total of 237, NFRSA managed to gather 238 before being bowled out on the final day of the two-day fourth quarterfinal match at the Barsapara cricket stadium here today.
Resuming at an overnight score of 27 for one, the NF Railway team had to rely on Chandan Rawat (57), Kunal Saikia (42), Niraj Tiwari (34) and Arup Das (32) who batted confidently and contributed in gaining the thinnest but most vital one-run first innings lead. Now NFRSA will play against Dibrugarh in the second semifinal.
In the second innings Silchar were 20 for one when the stumps were finally drawn.
Silchar bowlers Prakash Bhagat (3/82), Pritam Das (3/36), Sabbir Ahmed (2/59) apparently rocked the railway innings and Silchar was on the verge of snatching the match in their favour. But the railway batsmen showed the required courage in the crucial moments and managed to cross the opponent�s total before being all out in 76.3 overs.
In the two-day first semifinal, Guwahati will play against Nagaon from tomorrow.
Brief scores: Silchar 1st innings 237. NFRSA 1st innings (overnight 27/1) 238 (Chandan Rawat 57, Kunal Saikia 42, Niraj Tiwari 34, Arup Das 32; Prakash Bhagat 3/82, Pritam Das 3/36, Sabbir Ahmed 2/59).
Silchar 2nd innings 20/1.
