Ranji Trophy
Double delight
By Our Reporter
Shillong, Jan 6: In a historic turn of events, Kishan Lyngdoh etched his name into the record books as the first Meghalaya domiciled player to achieve a Ranji Trophy double century. This remarkable feat unfolded on Saturday during the second day of the match against Arunachal Pradesh in Anand, Gujarat.
The Meghalaya asserted their dominance, with Ram Gurung making a significant mark by scoring a century on his first-class debut.
The first innings for Meghalaya concluded with a declaration at 504/9, securing a commanding lead of 410 runs over Arunachal Pradesh, who had been dismissed for a mere 94 runs the previous day. At the end of the day, Arunachal Pradesh stood at 57/2 in their second innings.The partnership between Kishan and Ram proved pivotal, as they resumed play with scores of 68 and 61, respectively.
The duo, displaying flawless performance, built a substantial stand of 133 runs for the third wicket and extended it to nearly 200 more runs before the partnership was broken. In a dominating display against the Arunachal bowling attack, Kishan and Ram accumulated a partnership total of 326 for the third wicket. Ram, eventually dismissed for 132, showcased an impressive innings featuring 17 fours and a six from 217 deliveries.Kishan, with a history of success against Arunachal, outshone himself by scoring an imperious 268 from just 308 balls faced, boasting a strike rate of 87.01. His innings included 43 fours and a six behind square on the leg side. Despite facing a regular fall of wickets after Ram’s dismissal, Kishan exhibited a clear sense of responsibility and focus.
Nababrata Bhattacharjee, the President of the Meghalaya Cricket Association, showered praise on the duo. “A brilliant double century by Kishan Lyngdoh, our Ranji skipper, the first by a Meghalayan in the Ranji Trophy. We all take pride in his achievement. He has the class, now his maturity and patience have blossomed. Salute!” Bhattacharjee remarked. Regarding Ram, the President added, “A scintillating century by Ram Gurung on debut. Congratulations to Ram, who has justified his selection.”
With a substantial lead, Meghalaya appears to have a firm grip on the game. However, they still need to dismiss Arunachal Pradesh once again. Despite his batting heroics, Ram contributed to the bowling attack and concluded the day with figures of 1/11. The only other wicket to fall was claimed by Dippu Ch Sangma (1/7), leaving Arunachal Pradesh requiring 353 runs to avoid making Meghalaya bat again.