Shillong, Jan 3: Kishan Lyngdoh struck his maiden first-class hundred, with veteran Punit Bisht hitting a double ton on the first day of Meghalaya’s Ranji Trophy plate group match against Arunachal Pradesh in Anand, Gujarat, on Tuesday.
At stumps, Meghalaya were placed on 424/3 after 90 overs.
Bisht can do even more damage as he ended the day unbeaten on 205, which came off 193 deliveries. His highest score is 343 against Sikkim and he could well surpass those heights on Wednesday.
Lyngdoh, though, is only in his second season of first-class cricket. His previous high score in this format is 40, which he made against Mizoram last month. He had a cracking debut domestic T20 season in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last year but has found it harder going this year, though his talent has never been in doubt.
On Tuesday, he scored 128 from 223 balls, with runs coming all around the park, including 17 fours. Lyngdoh is only the third Meghalaya domicile player to hit a first-class century for the state, after Raj Biswa and Dippu Sangma.
He began with an 81-run partnership with Biswa after Arunachal won the toss and chose to field first. Biswa could not get to his half-century as he fell for 49 and his replacement, Swarajeet Das, could only score 11 after his match-winning heroics against Bihar late last month.
Lyngdoh and Bisht then combined in a partnership of 212 for the third wicket as they totally dominated the opposition.
While Lyngdoh’s was a more measured innings, Bisht went at over a run-a-ball in a knock in which he has so far hit 35 fours and a six.
Though he lost Lyngdoh towards the end of the day, he carried on with Tarique Siddique, who was not out at the close of play on 21, in an unbeaten stand of 93 for the fourth wicket.
