SHILLONG: Meghalaya bowled out Nagaland for 173 runs on the first day of the U-23 Col CK Nayudu Trophy match at the Meghalaya Cricket Association Ground in Polo on Wednesday.
Meghalaya won the toss and opted to bowl first, and the bowlers responded in great style dismissing the visitors for a low total of 173 runs.
Arbin Singh (4/54), skipper Akash Kumar (2/41), Kartik Pawar (2/53) and Md Nafees (1/23) were Meghalaya’s main wicket takers. The hosts, however, could have dismissed Nagaland even more cheaply had it not been for the heroics of Arvind Verma, who struck 83 off 95 deliveries.
Verma, who brought up his half-century with a neat flick off his pads for four, and the lower order batters offered stubborn resistance to Meghalaya’s bowling attack.
Meghalaya, however, also had their struggles with the bat and were tottering at 125/6 at the end of the day’s play, 48 runs behind the visitors.
Meghalaya began on a positive note with opener Surya Rai making 36. Some quick wickets, though, ended up seeing the hosts reduced to 80/6 before Tiwari (28 not out) and Rohit Shah (15 not out) came together to put on 45 runs before stumps were drawn.
