Assam skipper Roshan Basfore on his way to the season?s first ton at Nehru Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday. Picture by S.H. Patgiri

Polly umrigar trophy

Guwahati, Nov. 22: Skipper Roshan Basfore scored the first ton of the season in any age group for Assam, steering his team to a thumping victory of an innings and 74 runs in the hosts? last Polly Umrigar Trophy (under-15) East Zone match against Tripura at Nehru Stadium here today.

Resuming play on the second day today at overnight 99 for four in reply to Tripura?s first innings total of 107, Basfore played a captain?s knock of 118 runs to help Assam pile up 282 in the first innings.

In their second essay, the visitors were skittled out for a meagre 101 runs.

With this win, Assam earned four points along with a bonus point, taking their points tally up to seven.

Basfore, who scored his ton hitting 14 fours and an over-boundary off his 144-ball innings, shared the limelight with wicketkeeper-batsman Manoj Malo. Malo played an explosive knock of 70 runs and scalped three wickets, including the crucial wickets of Tripura opener Konark Roy (8) and all-rounder Aniruddha Saha (19).

After Bidur Roy was trapped leg before by Samir Deb Barma for only 14 runs this morning, Malo joined Basfore for a 144-run sixth wicket stand stunning the Tripura bowlers.

The 14-year-old mesmerised the crowd with his mature footwork and timing, the hallmark of a good batsman. Malo?s 98-ball innings comprised nine spectacular hits to the fence.

The Malo-Basfore tandem made no mistake in stealing singles and twos.

Paceman Mani Sankar Mura Singh, who returned with the figures of five for 47, took the wickets of both Malo and Basfore. After trapping Malo leg before while he was trying to pull for a square drive, Singh bowled Basfore in the very next over.

Spinner Deb Barma also captured four for 77.

In their second innings, the visitors crumbled under pressure with wickets falling like nine pins.

Southpaw Kaushik Saha (15), Mura Singh (13) and Diptanu Deb Nath (13) were the other notable scorers for Tripura. Basfore and Bidur Roy shared three wickets each, giving away 26 and 13 runs respectively while Ambar Bhattacharjee clinched two for 24.