Vijay Merchant Trophy Plate Group : Manipur crush Mizoram by an innings and 114 runs, to meet Meghalaya in final
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 29 2023:
Manipur prevailed over Mizoram yet again, this time by an innings and 114 runs in a Plate Group semi-final match of the Vijay Merchant Trophy to set up the final date with Meghalaya.
The final match is scheduled to begin from January 3 at Alur Cricket Stadium II, Bangalore.
Resuming the third day at 363/7 in 114 overs at JSCA Oval Ground in Ranchi, Manipur could add only 17 runs in 7.3 overs as Mizoram's Nunga swept three tailenders including T Nganba 54 and Bisal Ningombam 26 quickly.
But 380 runs at the end of the first innings was more than enough for Manipur to seal the victory as Danish's led bowling attack forced Mizoram to end their second innings within 51.4 overs with 120 runs on the scoreboard.
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Danish, who picked two wickets in the Mizoram's first innings and scored a valuable century in Manipur's first innings, returned with the best figures of 4/28 in 17 overs.
With the six wickets from the last two innings, Md Danish had collected as many as 39 wickets in 12 innings of the tournament this season to remain fourth among the best wicket taking bowlers.
Danish's scalps include Mapuia who struck 8 fours to add highest 48 runs and second highest run getter Zodina (28) after Rain (1/13 in 6 overs) had found the breakthrough early in the fourth over as he caught and bowled Dinpuia for 5 runs.
Hanjabam Donba also picked the last two wickets to return the bowling figures of after Naesh (1/15 in 9 overs) and Kaiku (1/15 in 6 overs) also claimed a wicket apiece to leave Mizoram struggling.
Elsewhere at Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur, Meghalaya defeated Nagaland by 72 runs to set up the final date with Manipur.
Mention may be made that Manipur topped the Plate Group competition by securing wins against Mizoram (by 156 runs), Nagaland (9-wicket win), Arunachal Pradesh (an innings and 259 run victory) and Meghalaya (an innings and 73 run victory) and playing out a draw with Sikkim.
Brief scores
Mizoram 146/10 in 73.3 overs (Zira 67, Mapuia 26, Hmingthana 14; Rain 4/39 in 12.3 overs, Danish 2/52 in 18 overs, Naesh 2/20 in 16 overs) and 120 (Mapuia 48, Zodina 22, Zira 16; Danish 4/28 in 17 overs, Donba 2/2 in 2.4 overs)
Manipur 380/10 in 121.3 overs (Danish 107, Rain 58, Donba 55, T Nganba 54; Nunga 3/30, Ramsanga 3/66, Dinpuia 2/33) .