Elite Tourney : Loktongbam Santosh stars as CYCLONE go top with 201-run victory over PTCC

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Apr 14 : Loktongbam Santosh picked six after contributing 23 runs to help CYCLONE, Thangmeiband crush PTCC, Patsoi Part III at Luwangpokpa Cricket Stadium for the 7th win in the ongoing 8th MNCA W Prahlada and W Ramananda Elite Tournament. The win also lifted them on top of the 12-team table.
CYCLONE opted to bat first erected a competitive total of 235 runs for 6 wickets in the allotted 45 overs courtesy of half centuries from Aditya Prasad 55 (off 77 balls, 8 fours) and Kishan Laishram 52 (off 66 balls, 5 fours) and significant contributions from Nongthombam Denin 44 not out, Kabrambam Homendro 30 and Santosh 23.
Santosh then devastated the PTCC line up and reduced them all out for just 34 runs within 16 overs.
Santosh inflicted early damage to PTCC by removing first two wickets and fourth and the fifth wickets in the form of Abit Hijam and Sohail Akram on ducks before removing 7th and the 9th wickets to return with the best bowling figures of 6/9 in 8 overs.
Maisnam Raju picked the third wicket in the form of Andy Mandingbam (9) before Abdul Kasim clinched the 8th and the 10th wickets to finish with the figures of 2/2 in 3 overs.
Loktongbam Santosh who produced an all round performance to help CYCLONE climb on top of the table, was declared man of the match.
CHAMP notch up 7th win with 7-wicket thrashing of SCCC
CHAMP, Khagempali also cruised to their 7th win in 9 matches by thrashing SCCC, Singjamei Thongam Leikai by 7 wickets at Lairenjam Public Ground but slipped to second in the league table below CYCLONE on same 15 points.
Nitesh Sedai was the highlight of the match as he smacked 4 fours and 4 sixes on the way to his unbeaten 39-ball 62 to lead the chase of 167 runs for the victory in 25.1 overs along with Lairenjam Ansh (34 not out off 44 balls) after Samir added a 38-ball 52.
Earlier, Keisham Kenedy picked five wickets and Nitesh Sedai (2/26) and Moirangthem Thomash (2/25) shared four wickets to bowl out SCCC for 166 runs in 39.1 overs.
Laishram Ronson topscored for SCCC, who were put in to bat first, with 60 runs off 51 balls (8 fours and 2 sixes) while Khwairakpam Rinju 25 and Ulenyai Khwairakpam 23 followed suit.
Nitesh Sedai was eventually adjudged man of the match.
RULE beat CRAU by 2 wickets for third win
The day also saw RULE, Meitram defeat CRAU, Khamnam Bazar by 2 wickets at Model Hr Sec and Oriental College Ground for third win in 9 matches.
CRAU opted to bat first but slumped to 143 all out in 24.3 overs despite Lamabam Jotin's 48-ball 52 and Potshangbam Ronil's 53 quickfire off 33 balls as Nongthombam Sarojkumar (4/28), Sanjenbam Ananda (3/30) and Thokchom Kishan (2/38) took wickets in regular interval.
In reply, RULE had a stuttering start and were reduced to 68 for 4 in 18.3 overs but Jay Singh and  Sanjenbam Ananda (25) forged a 70-run partnership for the fifth wicket to rescue the team from the precarious situation.
Jay Singh went on to anchor with a slow but significant 94-ball 70 to take RULE to sniffing distance of a win.
Nongthombam Sarojkumar who led the RULE bowling attack was adjudged man of the match.