Shillong, Mar 3: South Garo Hills chased down Shillong Cricket Association’s total to win the final of the Meghalaya Cricket Association’s U-19 Women’s Cricket Tournament by four wickets in Williamnagar, East Garo Hills, today.
SGH were the top team from Zone 2 and Shillong the best of Zone 1. Their meeting promised to be a demonstration of excellent cricket and the two sides did not disappoint.
Shillong won the toss and elected to bat first. Jayshree Singh top-scored with a patient 35, while Suriti K Ray and Neelam Roy both contributed 22 each. However, a late crash of wickets (Shillong lost their last seven for 20 runs) hampered the team’s chances of a big total and they were all out for 136 in 29.5 overs.
Three different SGH bowlers took three wickets each – Jaylynn R Marak (3/16), Dianchidora (3/18) and Smillin N Sangma (3/27). Marme M Sangma (1/32) was the other wicket-taker.
SGH wobbled early on in the chase, losing two wickets for 18 but regrouped around Kim D Shira (19) and Smillin (10). Marme (29) and Jaylynn (29 not out) then scored better at a run-a-ball to lift SGH out of any danger and the latter carried her team over the finish line with Bandana Rai (7 not out) at the other end following a 47-run seventh-wicket partnership.
Try as hard as they might, Shillong’s bowlers were not able to restrict their opponents, though Natasha Rabha (2/28), Suriti (2/32), Jayshree (1/23) and Neelam (1/25) were among the wickets.
With her superb bowling and batting today, Jaylynn was named player-of-the-match. Her team mate Smillin, meanwhile, was adjudged player-of-the-tournament for her impressive haul of 17 wickets, which was almost double that of the next successful bowler.
Among those present on the occasion of the final were East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Shri Swapnil Tembe, MCA Honorary Secretary Shri Gideon Kharkongor and other members of the MCA and its affiliated district units.
