Ranji Trophy Plate Group Ng Johnson, Ph Jotin, L Ajay star in Manipur's 320-run victory against Arunachal Pradesh

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 8 : Ngariyanbam Johnson scored his maiden first class century, Pheiroijam Jotin stars with both the bat and ball while  Lamabam Ajay finished with a match haul of 8 wickets as Manipur posted a 320-run victory against Arunachal Pradesh in the fourth tie of the Ranji Trophy Plate Group at Ahmedabad.
Ngariyanbam Johnson,  having scored two half centuries in earlier ties against Mizoram and Goa, remained unbeaten on 111 off 154 balls as Manipur declared the second innings at 359/7 to take a 510-run lead today against Arunachal Pradesh, who were bowled out for 115 runs in their first innings yesterday. Johnson, had also added 48 off 70 balls in the first innings.
Lamabam Ajay was also instrumental in Manipur's big win as he finished with a remarkable match haul of 8 wickets for 62 runs in 15.5 overs across both the innings as Pheiroijam Jotin produced an all-round performance by collecting 94 runs and finishing with match haul of 5/56 in 19 overs across both the innings to seal the man of the match accolade.
Resuming their second innings at 159/4 (in 47 overs) this morning, Pheiroijam Jotin and Ng Johnson combined well to forge a noteworthy partnership of 134 runs and took Manipur past the 250-run mark before Jotin was undone by Nabam Abo on 92 runs.
Incoming Prafullomani had a short stay as he was removed on 9 runs for the 6th wicket before RK Rex and Johnson carried forward the innings by gathering 85 runs together off 112 balls.
Johnson was unbeaten on 111 as Manipur declared their second innings at 359/7 with the dismissal of RK Rex, who was 7 runs away from making a half century, in the third delivery of the 86th over to erect a massive match total of 625 runs and take a commanding 510-run lead against Arunachal Pradesh.
Chasing 511 runs for the win, Arunachal Pradesh faltered yet again and were bundled out for 190 runs in 43.1 overs as Bishworjit Konthoujam 4/32 in 11.1 overs, Pheiroijam Jotin 2/37 in 10 overs and Lamabam Ajay 2/48 in 12 overs shared 8 wickets and RK Rex 1/22 and Sultan Karim 1/30 claimed a wicket apiece.
It was a sloppy start for Arunachal Pradesh after the innings break as they were reduced to 18/3 in 18 overs with Jotin removing Techie Dora 2 and Shubham Verma 4 cheaply and RK Rex getting rid of Techi Neri 12.
Arunachal Pradesh further slumped to 93/7 in 31.1 overs as Bishworjit had his first two wickets, and Lamabam Ajay  and Sultan Karim claimed a wicket apiece.
Bishworjit collected his third scalp in the form of Mibom Mosu 33 while Ajay removed Arunachal skipper Nabam Abo on 36 for the 9th wicket before Bishworjit drew the innings to a close by bowling out Limar Dabi on 11 in the 44th over.
Brief Scores
Manipur 266 in 88 overs (L Ronald 85, Ng Johnson 48, Y Karnajit 38, Prafullomani 34; T Mohith 3/71, Nabam Abo 2/37, Shubham Verma 2/14) and 359/7d in 85.3 overs (Johnson 111 not out, Pheiroijam Jotin 92, Yumnam Karnajit 72, RK Rex 43; Nabam Abo 3/42, Limar Dabi 2/71)
Arunachal Pradesh 115 in 38.5 (Kamsho Yangfo 20, Techi Doria 18, Shubham Verma 17; L Ajay 6/14, Pheiroijam Jotin 3/19) and 190 in 43.1 overs (Nabam Abo 36, Mibom Mosu 33, Sandeep Kumar 24; Konthoujam Biswhorjit 4/32, Ph Jotin 2/37, L Ajay 2/48 )