SHILLONG, Jan 27: The final of the 2019-20 Shillong Cricket League 1st Division was nothing but exciting and thrilling. The match was played between Rangkynsai and Nongmensong, both first-time finalists.
Rangkynsai skipper, Sanjay Lyngdoh, won the toss and put Nongmensong to bat. Nongmensong openers, Arpit Bhatewara and Manibhusan Thakur, gave their side a steady start. The opening partnership of 36 was broken in the 11th over by Pankaj Sharma.
That brought together Nongmensong’s most experienced batsmen, Arpit and Roshan Warbah, together in the middle. The pair scored some quick-fire runs and added 48 runs for the second-wicket partnership.
Arpit, continuing his good form in the tournament, scored another half century before falling to Ajay Duhan’s fast leg-spin. Rangkynsai players were more than delighted to see Arpit return to the pavilion. However, Roshan continued to bat sensibly.
Some powerful hitting by Bibek Powdel and Bipin Rai saw Nongmensong reach the total of 191 in their allotted 35 overs.
The chase went horribly wrong for Rangkynsai when Pynhun Kharnarbi, the hero of the semi-final, was bowled by Sagar Rana in the second over. Rangkynsai lost their other opener, Pankaj Yadav, when the score was 33. Yadav, who was smacking the ball to different parts of the ground, fell to Bipin’s off-spin.
This brought together Ajay and Raja Khongwir to the centre. The duo batted sensibly, picking singles and dispatching the bad balls to the boundary.
For Nongmensong, spinners, Bipin and Bibek, bowled excellent lines and lengths. They stemmed the run flow and almost brought the run chase to a grinding halt.
Ajay, who paced his innings beautifully, had other plans. He hit two huge sixes off Bipin’s bowling. The back-to-back sixes infused some life in the chase.
Ajay was dropped twice in a span of a couple of overs. The first being a relatively easy chance when he went to muscle Sagar’s delivery only to balloon it to mid-on.
The fielder completely misjudged it and put down a sitter. The second chance was relatively a tough one.
It was apt that the winning shots came from Ajay’s bat when he paddle-swept a ball for a boundary to crown Rangkynsai as 1st Division Champions of Shillong.
For his unbeaten innings of 99, Ajay was adjudged the Man of the Match. Arpit, who has had innings of 61, 123, 15, 240, 109 and 60, was adjudged the Man of the Series.
