Shillong, Dec 8: Meghalaya will need 127 to win and will have one day to do it after they turned in a terrific batting and bowling performance on the third day of their U-19 Cooch Behar Trophy Plate Group match against Sikkim in Bhubaneshwar today.
The day belonged to Kevin Christopher (pictured left), who struck 100 with the bat, and Manish Sharma (right), who bagged his second consecutive five-wicket haul and 10 wickets for 94 runs in the match.
Resuming today morning on 75/4, 97 runs behind Sikkim’s first innings total, captain Christopher struck his second consecutive century at this level as he took Meghalaya to 187 all out, giving his team a first innings lead of 15.
Christopher, who hit 102 in a losing cause against Manipur last week, struck two sixes and six fours in his 167-ball stay at the crease. He and Pawan Singh (23) put on 62 for the fifth wicket.
Waldo Sangma (2/16) then struck with a couple of early wickets to peg Sikkim back in their second innings soon after lunch but the batting side regrouped before Sharma claimed the first of his scalps. In all, he managed to trap four batters LBW and had the other stumped as he went on to collect 5/52, to go along with his 5/42 from the first innings yesterday.
The other three Meghalaya bowlers used also claimed wickets – Bharat Gurung 1/13, Raghav Magotra 1/20 and Wankitlang Nongpluh 1/36 – as Sikkim were rolled up for 141 in 54.1 overs.
With the 15-run first innings lead, that set Meghalaya 127 for victory. Stumps were called after Sikkim’s last wicket fell, meaning that Meghalaya will start nice and fresh in the chase tomorrow morning on the last day of the match.
(Meghalaya Cricket Association file photos)
