Tura District Cricket Association delivered when it mattered the most to win the final of the Meghalaya Cricket Association’s U-19 Boys Inter District Cricket Tournament in Salpara, Mendipathar, today by six wickets over East Garo Hills DCA.
East Garo Hills had been the team to beat this season, winning all of their group games – including against Tura – before taking down Shillong Cricket Association A in the semifinals yesterday but in the title match it was their opponents who had the better of the day in a fitting conclusion to a tournament of high calibre cricket.
In another low-scoring game, EGH were skittled for 89 in 32 overs batting first after winning the toss and TDCA chased this down for the loss of four wickets and with 10.1 overs to spare.
Chandra Thapa was the bowler who caused the most trouble today, taking 3/18 in 8 overs, with one of his scalps being the East Garo Hills top scorer Thunun N Marak, who was out for 20. EGH’s most consistent batter, Lensbirth N Marak, was the only other to get into double figures, eventually making 16 before he was dismissed by Ben Haden N Marak (2/21 in 7 overs). Yash Mishra, meanwhile, bagged 2/12 in 3 overs.
EGH have been adept at defending small totals but it was a rather easy chase for TDCA, who needed just 29.5 out of an available 40 overs to reach the target.
For this, they largely have to thank Shahin Alom, who struck 42 from 43 balls with two fours and four sixes. He was dismissed off what proved to be the penultimate delivery of the tournament by Gulgul Sangma (2/16 in 7.5 overs), so the honour of hitting the winning run went to Ben Haden.
Present for the final were a host of senior MCA and affiliated district association officials and the champions’ trophy was presented to Tura DCA by MCA President Naba Bhattacharjee while the runners-up trophy was presented to EGH by MCA Joint Secretary Chiang D Shira.
