SHILLONG: Finally, Meghalaya will play their third Ranji Trophy plate group match from Tuesday at the Meghalaya Cricket Association Ground against Nagaland.
Meghalaya thus had very few days’ rest since their game away at Puducherry ended in a draw on 15th November but are looking forward to playing again on their home turf. On the otherhand, Meghalaya are just five wickets away from a fifth consecutive victory in the U-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy North East Zone with a day to go against Arunachal Pradesh in Mangaldai, Assam.
Arunachal resumed their innings today on 47/8 and were soon all out for 57, 80 runs behind Meghalaya’s first innings score of 137. Nirdesh Baisoya and Meghalaya captain Sudhir Sahani shared the remaining two wickets on Monday. In their second innings Baisoya smashed 100 not out off 172 balls, in an innings that included 14 fours and one six. Three other Meghalaya batsmen got into double figures but couldn’t press on and the team eventually declared on 173/9 after Baisoya reached his ton. That left Arunachal an imposing target of 254 to win, but, although their batting was better the second time around, they ended the second day on 88/5, still needing another 166 for victory. Fast bowler Sahani claimed four wickets for 29 runs, while Baisoya took the other (1/13).
COOCH BEHAR TROPHY
Meanwhile, Monday was the first day of Meghalaya’s first U-19 Cooch Behar Trophy plate group match and they are in a commanding position over Mizoram. Mizoram won the toss and opted to bat first in Dibrugarh, Assam, but were skittled for a meagre 53, with Aryan (5/12) the pick of the bowlers backed up by Abhishek (3/24) and Bipin (2/6). Meghalaya then finished the day on 215/7, a lead of 162. Ankit Kumar Singh was the top scorer with 88, followed by Swastic Chettri (67).
