By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 23: Meghalaya exhibited a better batting performance in their second innings to finish Day 2 of their Col CK Nayudu Trophy plate group match against Sikkim on 133/3, leading their opponents by 119 runs.
Resuming day 2 on 48/4, Sikkim went on to make 203 all out in 65.2 overs, giving them a first innings lead of 14 over Meghalaya in Bhubaneshwar.
Adding to his haul of three wickets on Tuesday, Meghalaya’s Abhishek Kumar claimed another two scalps to finish with 5/53. But it was Bipin Kumar Ray (2/42) and Sudhir Sahani (2/46) who dismissed Sikkim’s best batters of their first innings – Rahul Kumar and Ankur, who added 64 for the seventh wicket. The other wicket-taker was Agreas Chamcham Sangma (1/37).
A more solid batting performance by the top of the order then got Meghalaya to 133/3 by stumps, though the only negative was that they lost captain Swastic Chettri off the final ball of the day for 44. Arien Bonchang Sangma, however, was still at the crease, having carved out 55 off 101 deliveries, which included a six over cover.
He put on 49 for the opening stand with Aman Kumar (17), 72 with Swastic for the third wicket and will look to score even more runs when play resumes on Thursday.