Shillong, Nov 29: Baroda effectively batted Meghalaya out of contention in their U-19 men’s Cooch Behar Trophy Elite Group A match by reaching 608/6 at the end of the second day at the MCA Ground in Polo here, with a first innings lead of 430.
Resuming play this morning on 55/0 in reply to Meghalaya’s 178 all out, Baroda’s openers enjoyed the conditions to put on 274 for the first wicket.
Nitya J Pandya, the Baroda captain, took to the bowlers and hit 177 from 183 balls (33x4s) before he was out caught by Shavian Blah off the bowling of Gaurav Thakuria. The left-hander has already played for the India U-19 team and hit two half-centuries against Australia recently. However, although he looked to be in supreme control, a mistimed big shot in the second session saw him scoop the ball high in the air and Shavian ran round from long-off to complete the catch.
While Gaurav (1/89 in 11 overs) was expensive, his leg spin proved to be the breakthrough but it was a one-off as Smit Rathva (pictured batting), who had played more of a support role in partnership with Nitya, began unleashing several big shots of his own. Whether the bowler was a pacer or spinner did not matter, he attacked them all and reached his double century before being bowled for 201 off 245 deliveries by Angkit Tamang (2/127 in 25). He had struck 21 fours and five sixes, including one down the ground to bring up his 150.
From 482/1 just before Rathva fell, the visitors were reduced to 608/6 – not exactly a collapse but a welcome change for Meghalaya’s players who had toiled in the field with little success until that point. Baroda still had a third centurion to come on the day, though, in Vishvas, who made 143 from 127 deliveries (21x4s, 2x6s).
Meghalaya’s most successful bowler was pacer Salchang M Sangma (3/83 in 12 overs), who took his three wickets in the space of 7 deliveries and was even on a hat-trick. In all, nine bowlers were used by the hosts and they will hope to wrap up the Baroda innings quickly tomorrow and let the batters try to overcome the enormous first innings deficit.
(Meghalaya Cricket Association photo)