Hyderabad take lead over M’laya

Shillong, Feb 18: In the ongoing Ranji Trophy Plate Group final clash between Hyderabad and Meghalaya, hosted in Hyderabad, the second day witnessed a seesaw battle as Hyderabad managed to secure a narrow first innings lead over Meghalaya.
Recapping the events from the previous day, Hyderabad found themselves at 25/2 at stumps, trailing behind Meghalaya’s first innings total of 304/10 by a considerable margin of 279 runs.
As the action resumed on Sunday, Meghalaya’s bowlers maintained pressure on the hosts, striving to restrict their scoring opportunities. However, Hyderabad’s resilience shone through, propelled by remarkable centuries from K Nitesh Reddy, who scored 122 runs, and Pragnay Reddy, who remained unbeaten with 102 runs. Their formidable partnership propelled Hyderabad to a total of 350 runs, as they were eventually bowled out. In a swift turn of events, Meghalaya suffered an early setback with the dismissal of Ram Gurung for a duck, concluding their innings at 0/1.
The contest intensified as Hyderabad’s batting line-up faced a stern challenge from Meghalaya’s fast bowlers. Despite losing one batter to a run-out, Meghalaya’s relentless bowling attack dismissed the remaining nine Hyderabad batters. Chengkam Sangma, who exhibited his prowess with two wickets on the previous day, continued his impressive performance by claiming another wicket, finishing with figures of 3/54 in 14 overs. Akash Kumar Choudhury, who showcased his batting prowess with a half-century on the preceding day, demonstrated his bowling skills by bagging 3/59 in 21 overs. Additionally, Dippu Sangma proved to be a formidable force with the ball, claiming three crucial wickets and ending with figures of 3/68 in 16.5 overs.
The highlight of Meghalaya’s bowling effort was the dismissal of Indian Premier League star Tilak Varma, who was removed for 44 runs by Dippu Sangma.
Despite facing a challenging situation at 165/6, Hyderabad’s resilience, fueled by the remarkable centuries from their batsmen, enabled them to overcome the adversity and carve out a slim 46-run lead in the first innings.