Shillong, Nov 15: Yogesh Nagar, one of Meghalaya’s professional players, struck an unbeaten 141 to help his side post 326 all out on the third day of their Ranji Trophy plate group match against Puducherry at the latter’s home venue today.
Meanwhile, on the first day of the U-23 Col CK Nayudu Trophy match here between Meghalaya and Nagaland, the visitors were dismissed for 173 at the Meghalaya Cricket Association Ground.
In Puducherry Meghalaya started their day on 161/6 with Nagar (45) and Abhay Negi (3) at the crease. The pair carried on nicely into the third day until Negi was run out for 29. The two had put on 85 runs for the seventh wicket. Nagar then received more good company in the form of Aditya Singhania (42) and the two put on 96 runs to take Meghalaya over the 300-run mark.
However, Singhania was subsequently dismissed and there was little further resistance from the tail, leaving Meghalaya trailing the hosts by 63 runs. Pankaj Singh was the most devastating bowler for Puducherry, taking 6/39.
In Puducherry’s second innings Gurinder Singh bagged 4/29 for Meghalaya to leave the hosts on 95/4, a lead of 158 going into tomorrow, the fourth and final day.
Meanwhile, Meghalaya won the toss and opted to bowl first on the first day of their U-23 Col CK Nayudu Trophy plate group match against Nagaland, dismissing the visitors for 173. Meghalaya, however, also had their struggles with the bat and were 125/6 at the end of the day’s play, 48 runs behind.
Arbin Singh (4/54), captain Akash Kumar (2/41), Kartik Pawar (2/53) and Md Nafees (1/23) were Meghalaya’s 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 offered stubborn resistance to Meghalaya’s bowlers.
However, Meghalaya dismissed their opponents for less than 200 and started well enough in their first innings, 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 called by the umpires.
