A player mistimes a shot during the under-17 meet in Guwahati on Friday. Picture by S.H. Patgiri

U-17 CRICKET

Guwahati, March 18: NF Railway Sports Association and Guwahati Cricket Coaching Centre posted their second straight victories in the Debabrata Banerjee and Vijay Tewari under-17 cricket championship here today.

NF Railway thrashed River Rine Cricket Coaching Centre by nine wickets, while Guwahati centre defeated Star Cricket Coaching Academy by 25 runs at Latasil playground.

Yesterday, NF Railway tamed Noonmati Cricket Academy by eight wickets and Guwahati centre inflicted a seven-wicket defeat on City Cricket Coaching Centre.

Skipper Shiv Sankar Roy of Guwahati centre claimed the Man of the Match award for the second day, contributing 34 to the team total of 154 for eight in 20 overs. He also took four wickets for 14.

Ambar Bhattacharya chipped in with a useful 31, while Jnan Boro (27) and Sunil Ranjan Gogoi (17 not out) were the other leading scorers.

Debo Rabha claimed three for 22 and Gaurav Gogoi captured two for 31, but the Star bowlers conceded 41 runs, including 35 wides, as extras.

Chasing the challenging total, Star could only manage 129 for eight in the stipulated 20 overs. After a top-order collapse, Rajib Kalita made 37 and Chandan Roy hit 22. Opener Rikul Deka contributed 14.

Gogoi, Mriganka Pratim Das, Boro and Bidur Roy claim a wicket apiece for Guwahati centre, besides Shiv Sankar?s match-winning four-wicket haul. The bowlers, however, conceded 35 extra runs.

In the second match, River Rine elected to bat and posted 117 all out in 19.4 overs. NF Railway romped home losing one wicket in 16.3 overs.

Arpan Das (32) and opener Arun Basfore (24) were the main scorers for River Rine. The team total reached 117, aided by 27 extra runs.

Medium-pacer Abu Naschim Ahmed of NF Railway took three wickets for 20 runs. Skipper Swarupam Purkayastha and Sekhar Jyoti Barman shared two wickets for 22 and 13 runs respectively.

Purkayastha came good with the bat, too, scoring an unbeaten 55. The captain was named Man of the Match as he and Satyajit Debnath (27) guided the team to victory after the fall of Deep Boro (6).

Tomorrow, Latasil Cricket Coaching Centre will play the Guwahati centre.