8th MNCA W Prahlada and W Ramananda Elite TournamentCYCLONE, CHAMP win to finish league winners, runners up; to face off in first qualifier

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Apr 20 : CYCLONE, Thangmeiband and CHAMP, Khagempalli registered victories to finish league winners and runners with their 9th wins in 11 matches today in the 8th MNCA W Prahlada and W Ramananda Elite Tournament 2023-24 organised by the Manipur Cricket Association.
By virtue of their positions, CYCLONE and CHAMP will square off against one another in the first qualifier for a place in the final on April 24. The losers of this qualifier still have another chance to enter the final as they will face the winners of the eliminator to be played between 3rd placed PTRC, Patsoi Part IV and 4th place TRAU, Kwakeithel on April 25, in the second qualifier scheduled on April 28. The final is slated for May 2. The playoff matches will be played at Luwangpokpa Cricket Stadium.
CHAMP finished their league campaign with a 4th wicket win at Model Hr Sec and Oriental College Ground against PTCC, Patsoi Part III courtesy of Md Sultan Karim who produced an all round performance.
Opting to bat first, PTCC gathered 177 runs for 9 wickets in the allotted 45 overs and CHAMP took 37 overs to amass 183 runs with 4 wickets left to spare courtesy of half centuries from  Nitesh Sedai (56 off 44 balls) and Md Sultan Karim (53 not out off 65 balls).
Dominic Moirangthem 39 not out, Andy Mandingbam 29, Hijam Hemachandra 24 and Abit Hijam 23 were the main run getters for PTCC in their innings which saw Md Sultan Karim (2/28) and Md Ahsanul Kabir (2/38) sharing four wickets and and three others claiming a wicket apiece.
For PTCC, Sohail Akram picked two wickets as four others claimed a wicket apiece.
At Lairenjam Public Ground, CYCLONE eased to an 8 wicket win over CRAU, Khamnam Bazar.
Abdul Kasim (4/4 in 6 overs) and Loktongbam Santosh (3/24 in 6.2 overs) led CYCLONE in bundling out CRAU for 96 runs in 26.2 overs.
In reply, Md Al Bashid (51 off 43 balls) hit a half century before Bikash Singh 21 and Kishan Laishram 19 produced an unbeaten third wicket partnership to steer CYCLONE to winning 99 in 20.3 overs.
Elsewhere at Luwangpokpa Cricket Stadium, SCCC, Singjamei Thongam Leikai sunk RULE to relegation as they sealed a 5 run victory via DLS method.
Chasing 199 for the win, SCCC were 190/8 after 37 overs when rain disrupted the match and forced them to revise the target to 186 using DLS method.
Electing to bat first, RULE managed 198 runs for 9 wickets in 40 overs riding on notable contributions from Jay Singh 38, Ayekpam Rakesh 36, RK Herachandra 25 and Thokchom Kishan 23.
Lishan (2/30), Basant (2/45) and Khwairakpam Rinju (2/40) all picked two wickets for SCCC in their spell of 8 overs as Rakeshwor Republic Hidangmayum managed one.
In response, Ulenyai Kwairakpam played sensibly and gathered 77 off 84 balls before he was removed for the third wicket by Thokchom Kishan as the scoreboard read 149.
It was the turning point for the innings as wickets kept tumbling with Avinash Asmali sweeping the 6th, 7th and 8 wickets to reduce SCCC to 190/8 in 37 overs before rain hit the match.
With the result, SCCC survived relegation scare as RULE, Meitram slipped to 11th above 12th placed Al-Ameen in the relegation zone.