Sovima, 18 February (MTNews): Nagaland took control on Day 1 of the Col. CK Nayudu Trophy Final (Plate Group) against Meghalaya at the Nagaland Cricket Stadium, Sovima. The match, scheduled from 18 to 21 February 2024, saw Nagaland finishing the day at 50/1 in their first innings, trailing Meghalaya by 58 runs.
Meghalaya faced a challenging day after being bowled out for just 108 runs in their first innings. After losing their first wicket at 26 runs, Meghalaya could not recover as Neizekho (3/34) and Raja Swarnkar ( 3/23) went through the remaining batsman without much difficulty. Nagaland’s captain, Hem Bahadur, also contributed with two crucial wickets. Despite Bharali’s resistance, who scored 43 runs, Meghalaya faced a setback when he was run out.
The Nagaland innings began with a dramatic first-ball wicket as Zipa misjudged an incoming delivery from Abhishek, resulting in his stumps being rattled while leaving the ball. However, Mughavi and Samuel exhibited sensible batting, guiding Nagaland to a score of 50 without any further loss by the close of play. The umpires decided to call off the day due to bad light.
Nagaland will resume their inning on Day 2, aiming to accumulate as many runs as possible while also being cautious about securing the first-inning lead early in the morning. The second day is anticipated to be decisive for both teams, potentially shaping the outcome of the remaining days of the match.