Nagaland will be relatively happy with their performance as they put up 241/9 on the first day of their U-19 men’s Cooch Behar Trophy match against Meghalaya at the MCA Ground, Polo, here today.
Both Meghalaya and Nagaland had drawn their opening matches, against Mizoram and Sikkim respectively.
Today almost completely belonged to the visitors but the host bowlers turned the tide in the last session of the day by taking six wickets for 25 runs with only the last pair remaining.
Batting first after winning the toss, Jesevilie Dzeyie (19) and Vishal Sahani (32) took Nagaland to 56 before both were dismissed.
The first saw Sahani, at the non-striker’s end, set off for a run only to be sent back by his partner after he had reached halfway down the pitch. Bowler Da-u-la-biang Shangpliang did his own fielding and knocked down the stumps with a direct hit after scrabbling around for the ball.
Three deliveries later he bowled Dzeyie through the gate to dismiss both openers in the same over.
Apart from that, Nagaland handled themselves well in the morning session and they went to lunch on 77/2.
Post-lunch went even better as they moved to 163/3 at tea. Yugandhar, the only batter to be dismissed in the session, made 35 before being caught by wicketkeeper Dipankar Baruah off Shangpliang’s bowling.
It was a day destined for Meghalaya to toil in the field under clear skies and Seyievizo Zaputou and Samir Ali carried on Nagaland’s innings, putting on 95 for the fourth wicket before Ali was dismissed for 64 by Charm Marbaniang (2/68 in 26 overs). Charm was drafted into the playing XI for this game and struck twice on the first day with his leg spin. Fast bowler Angkit Tamang (1/32 in 17) accounted for Zaputou, dismissing him for 44.
Shangpliang netted 2/57 in 17 overs but it was Kishlay Vishlux (2/19 in 6) who has the best figures; like Charm, Kishlay missed out on the first match but has been included for this one.
The Nagaland lower order could not hold out against Meghalaya’s bowling and six wickets fell for the addition of only 25 runs. However, Anil Gupta remains at the crease overnight, with the No. 9 having made 20 not out and Meghalaya will want to break the last wicket resistance as soon as possible tomorrow morning.
