SCOREBOX: Sikkim (First Innings)“ 108 in 46.5 overs (Parth Palawat 39, Ankur Malik 22, Palzor Tamang 19, Heramb Parab 3/42, Darshan Misal 2/2, Mohit Redkar 2/9, Arjun Tendulkar 2/31, Shubham Tari 1/21); Goa (First Innings)“ 367/4 declared in 95.4 overs (Krishnamurthy Siddharth 130 not out, Manthan Khutkar 104, Rohan Kadam 55, Suyash Prabhudessai 54, Parth Palawat 1/55, Lee Yong Lepcha 1/96, Ankur Malik 1/100); Sikkim (Second Innings)“ 206 in 66.1 18 overs (Ankur Malik 57 not out, Parth Palawat 31, Palzor Tamang 25, Saurav Kumar Prasad 21, Darshan Misal 4/37, Arjun Tendulkar 4/81, Mohit Redkar 1/47); Goa won by an innings & 53 runs
PANAJI
Goa defeated Sikkim by an innings and 53 runs to secure a big win and also a vital bonus point in the Ranji Trophy Plate group match at SICA Ground in Rangpo, Sikkim on Sunday.
With two comfortable wins in two matches, Goa are sitting on top of the table with 13 points in the Plate Division group. In both the matches, first against Manipur and now against Sikkim, Goa’s side has hardly been tested by their opponents, with both the fixtures ending in less than three days.
Resuming at 50/3, Sikkim were all out for 206 in 66.1 overs. Skipper Darshan Misal (4/37) and Arjun Tendulkar (4/81) picked up four wickets each while Mohit Redkar (1/47) took one wicket.
It was always going to be a tough ask for the hosts to save the match and avoid an innings defeat. The wickets of Sikkim batters started falling at regular intervals with the match ending just before tea on Day 3.
Palzor Tamang (25), Saurav Kumar Prasad (21) and Arun Chettri (15) did get off to a start but could not convert it to a big innings. However, the tail-enders did put up a fight to take Sikkim's score past 200.
Ankur Malik and Parth Palawat were the only batters from Sikkim who showed some resistance against the Goan bowling attack. Ankur, who hit nine boundaries, remained unbeaten on 57 off 66 balls. Parth was clean-bowled by Tendulkar for 31. He hit a six and four 4s.
Sikkim were 150/8 and could have been bowled out for less than 200. But a 56-run partnership between Ankur Malik and skipper Lee Yong Lepcha for the ninth wicket took their score to 206 before Redkar dismissed Lepcha for 16.
Krishnamurthy Siddharth was declared ‘Man of the Match’ for his brilliant knock of 130 not out.
Goa next meet Nagaland in a home fixture on October 26 at Panjim Gymkhana, which will host a Ranji Trophy match after a gap of 18 years.
