SHILLONG/NEW DELHI: Meghalaya’s first-class campaign in the Ranji Trophy got underway on Monday as they kicked off their match against Nagaland in Dimapur.
Put in to bat first, Meghalaya finished at stumps on 268/9 with guest-professional Punit Bisht making 125 down the order, with fellow guest-professional Sanjay Yadav contributing 61.
The pair put on 111 runs for the fifth wicket.
Three other batsmen got into double figures – Wallam Lyngdoh Kynshi (17) and Wanlambok Nongkhlaw (34) at the top of the order and Mark Ingty (12 not out) at the tail end.
Imliwati Lemtur was the pick of the bowlers for Nagaland with stunning figures of 7/48.
The chief guest was the Dimpapur District Deputy Commissioner Anoop Khinchi, who encouraged the players to give their best and to perform well at the highest level of the national competition.
R Kharkamni, former Meghalaya Cricket Association vice-president and vice-chairman of the State Planning Board, Gideon Kharkongor, MCA honorary secretary, Dipul Ryntathiang, MCA vice-president, Chiang D Shira, MCA joint secretary, Herato Sukhalu, Nagaland Cricket Association vice-president, Hyunilo Anilo Khing, NCA Secretary and Ahidur Rahman, NCA joint secretary were among the others present during the inauguration.
In the clash between Manipur and Mizoram, the former’s Rex Singh stole the limelight as he first emerged with magnificient figures of 8/22 as the opposition was bundled out for just 65 runs. In return, opener Chingangbam Singh’s 89 and Rex (58 batting) put Manipur on driving seat as they were 255/7 when stumps were drawn, taking a healthy 190-run lead.
Minnows Sikkim on the other side were all out for 136 runs before Goa rode Smit Patel’s 53 and Amit Verma’s unbeaten 34 to end the day at 124-3, trailing by 12 runs with seven wickets in hand.
Shresth Nirmohi’s five-wicket haul followed by Jaskaran Singh’s 2/17 and Bipul Sharma’s 2/21 dismantled Arunachal Pradesh’s batting attack as the entire team was back to the dressing room for 147 runs.
In return, hosts Chandigarh were comfortably placed at 236/1, thanks to openers Arslan Khan (119) and Shivam Bhambri’s (105) twin tons.
In Agartala, Tripura were 263/8 against Jharkhand, thanks to Pratyush Singh’s 40, skipper Milind Kumar’ 59 and tailender Harmeet Singh’s unbeaten effort of 55. For Jharkhand, Ajay Yadav, Ashish Kumar and Anukul Roy scalped couple of wickets each.
Former India international Robin Uthappa’s century followed by Ponnam Rahul’s 97-run knock handed Kerala an upper hand against Delhi in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C tie as the hosts were 276/3 at the end of the first day at the St Xavier’s College Ground in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. (with inputs from IANS)
