9th MNCA Elite TournamentCYCLONE, CHAMP end league campaign on winning notes; stage set for playoffs

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Mar 8 : CYCLONE, Thangmeiband and CHAMP CC, Khagempalli notched up victories in their final league matches of the 9th MNCA W Prahlada and W Ramananda Elite Tournament to finish second and fourth respectively and qualify for the playoffs.
CYCLONE capped their campaign with a 4 wicket win at Moijing Public Ground against REYS, Khwai Nagamapal.
REYS, after opting to bat first, amassed 143 runs before being dismissed in 30.3 overs and CYCLONE fought their way to winning 146 in 33.3 overs with 4 wickets left to spare.
K Rinku 30 off 38, Jaali Ahmed Chisti 23 off 17 and KKV Mustaque 20 off 29 were the leading run getters for REYS in an innings that saw Laishram Kishan (3/23 in 7.3 overs), Md Aqeel (2/26 in 4 overs) and N Suraj (2/0 in 2 overs) devastating their line up.
 Md Al Bashid hit a 78-ball 50 and N Thoiba 22 off 18, S Robinson 32 off 67 and L Kishan 18 off 18 made significant contributions in response to set up the CYCLONE victory.
Yungkham Romario (3/32) was the pick of the REYS bowlers as L Kiran, S Bikash and K Ringku picked a wicket apiece.
L Kishan was adjudged man of the match.
Elsewhere at Lairenjam Public Ground, toss winners CHAMP bundled out PTCC for 145 runs in 36 overs and chased down the target in 32 overs with 5 wickets left to spare. Keisham Kennedy (3/21 in 8 overs), Md Ahsanul Kabir (3/35 in 8 overs) and Md Sultan Karim (2/24 in 7 overs) produced exemplary bowling performances to set up PTCC collapse despite Andy Mandingbam's 80-ball 83 and chased down the target in 32 overs courtesy of Yumnam Karnajit 50 off 63, Leikhram Johny 46 off 77 and Md Sultan Karim 23 not out off 31.
For PTCC, O Sadananda picked two wickets (2/29) as N Victor and H Abit claimed a wicket apiece.
Md Sultan Karim was eventually adjudged man of the match.
CYCLONE will play league winners PTRC, Patsoi Part IV in the first qualifier while  CHAMP will play third placed TRAU, Kwakeithel in the eliminator match in the playoffs. The winners between PTRC and CYCLONE will directly qualify for the final while the losers will play the winners of the eliminator match in the second qualifier for the remaining final spot.
Meanwhile, KCC, Kongba and PTCC, Patsoi Part III, who finished at rock bottom of the league table on 6 and 4 points respectively, have been relegated to the Superplate group.