8th MNCA W Prahlada and W Ramananda Elite Tournament : PTRC seal maiden title with 31 run victory against CYCLONE
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 13 2024:
PTRC, Patsoi Part IV were crowned champions of the 8 th MNCA W Prahlada and W Ramananda Elite Tournament today as they defeated former champions CYCLONE CC, Thangmeiband by 31 runs in the final match here at Luwangpokpa Cricket Stadium.
PTRC opted to bat first and despite a good start, they struggled to post an innings total of 194 runs for all wickets down in 44.4 overs.
RK Rex and Bishworjit Konthoujam, however combined well to bundle CYCLONE out for 163 runs in 40.3 overs and their sealed maiden title in the top-tier cricket tournament in the State.
Ngariyanbam Johnson and Khangembam Santosh provided PTRC a slow but good start to their innings completing the fifty run partnership in 11.4 overs before Abdul Kasim caught and bowled Johnson for 31 runs to break the 77-run partnership for the first wicket in the 19th over.
Santosh held on to take PTRC to 100 in 25.2 overs with Ngariyanbam Jameson and completed his half century in the same over but saw Jameson fell to Nongmaithem Suraj for the second wicket in the 28th over as the scoreboard read 113.Right arm off break bowler Laishram Kishan then got rid of Santosh for 58 runs in the 29th over before removing Jotin Pheiroijam (5) and Loitongbam Shitaljit (8) in the 33rd over to reduce PTRC to 130/5.RK Rex (22) and Bishworjit Konthoujam (21) tried to stage a fightback late on but CYCLONE bowlers took gradual control of the innings and skittle them out for 194 in 44.4 overs.
Kisham Laishram returned with the best bowling figures of 4/32 in his spell of 9 overs as Loktongbam Santosh (2/ 31 in 7 overs), Abdul Kasim (2/40 in 8.4 overs) and Nongmaithem Suraj (2/41 in 8 overs) shared 6 wickets.
Chasing 163 for the win, CYCLONE had a better start but were reduced to 82 for 3 within 17.1 overs as medium pacer RK Rex trapped Aditya Prasad lbw for 1 run, off break bowler Khaidem Joyraj bowled out Abdul Kasim for 10 runs and fast bowler Bishwoijit bowled out Md Al Bashid for 19 runs.
Loktongbam Santosh took CYCLONE to 100 in 23 overs with Kishan Laishram but he was bowled out for a 57-ball 44 by Bishwoijit Konthoujam for the fourth wicket in the 2nd delivery of the 24th over.
Kh Joyraj further dented the cause by removing Rohit for the 5th wicket at 113 before Bishworjit completed his three wicket haul (3/21 in8 overs) by bowling out Kishan Laishram for 22 runs in the 34th over and left CYCLONE struggling at 143 for 6.CYCLONE never recovered as RK Rex removed Bikash Singh and Nongthombam Denin for the 7th and the 9th wickets to finish with the best bowling figures of 3/21 in 8 overs before Jotin Pheiroijam undone Maisnam Raju for 5 runs in the third delivery of the 41st over to put CYCLONE'S chase to the sword at 163.Ng Johnson (1/16) was also among the wickets for PTRC.
Winners PTRC eventually lifted the title trophy and walked away Rs 2,20,000 richer as CYCLONE contended with a cash prize of Rs 1,70,000 and a trophy.
Bishworjit Kongthoujam, who scored 21 runs and picked three wickets in this exciting final match, was adjudged man of the match and feted with a cash prize of Rs 5,000 and a trophy.
His compatriot Jotin Pheiroijam was in the meantime adjudged both the highest run scorer and the man of the series with 659 runs and 16 wickets in 13 innings to his name.
Eventually he walked away with cash prizes of Rs 10,000 and Rs 17,000 along with trophies.
Abdul Kasim and Loktongbam Santosh of CYCLONE jointly finished highest wicket takers of the tournament having collected 27 wickets in 13 innings and were feted with a cash prize of Rs 10,000 while their teammate Muhammed Al Bashid was adjudged best wicket keeper and feted with a cash prize of Rs 10,000 and a trophy.