Meghalaya ended a long and difficult campaign in the Vijay Hazare Trophy one day tournament with a morale-boosting victory over Sikkim by 59 runs in Kolkata today, with Sylvester Mylliempdah contributing with bat and ball.
Meghalaya had had to face far bigger teams this year in Group B and lost all their matches, a fate that was shared by Sikkim. Today Meghalaya won the toss at Eden Gardens and chose to bat first, posting 226/9 in 50 overs before bowling out Sikkim for 167.
Despite having all three guest professionals available, it was actually the Meghalaya domicile players who shone with the bat today.
Opener Mylliempdah top-scored with 49 (5x4s) and was unfortunate not to be able to celebrate a deserved half-century, though this innings will go down as his highest score, so far, in List A cricket.
Further down the order, Lerry Sangma smacked 45 from 47 deliveries (4x4s, 1x6s). Yogesh Tiwari (27) and Junjun Sangma (18) also contributed handy runs, the latter in only his second match at this level.
However, the fireworks were left for the end by Abhishek Kumar, who single-handedly struck 27 runs from the last two overs of the innings. The No. 10 ended unbeaten on 32 from 15 deliveries, with one four and two sixes.
Six bowlers were used by Meghalaya, each of which claimed at least one wicket. Mylliempdah again shone, claiming 3/37, while Kumar scalped 2/21 and Dippu Ch Sangma 2/33. Chengkam Sangma bowled a peerless spell of seven overs and took 1/6, while Rajesh Bishnoi (1/33) and Chirag Khurana (1/35) were also among the wickets.
Meghalaya’s senior men’s team will now begin preparations for the prestigious Ranji Trophy, which will begin next month.
