Nischal, Lemtur hammertons, take the battle to TN

A Karnataka-born cricketer representing Nagaland and a former faculty trainer mixed to brighten an overcast Monday — and within the course of, schooled Tamil Nadu — with a sensational unbroken 205-run sixth-wicket stand that helped the crew keep away from the follow-on on the penultimate day of the Group-A Ranji Trophy conflict on the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground.

Opener Dega Nischal (161 batting, 350b, 24×4) and Imliwati Lemtur (115 batting, 203b, 17×4, 3×6) performed with grit, willpower and management to carry Nagaland from 160 for 5 to 365 for 5 — 147 runs behind Tamil Nadu’s 512 for 3 declared.

The southern facet struck early within the fifth over of the day, as the opposite in a single day batter, Yugandhar, added solely 9 to his rating earlier than edging one to the keeper off left-arm spinner D.T. Chandrasekar.

From there, Nischal and Lemtur took management, old-school fashion — leaving nicely, defending tightly, and taking part in the ready sport, regularly carrying the bowlers down.

Nischal seemed composed and comfy all through his 566-minute marathon, guiding the innings whereas pouncing on and punishing something overpitched or quick.

He stored the scoreboard transferring and introduced up his tenth First Class hundred — his sixth for Nagaland — in fashion, with a wristy whip off his pads that raced to the fence.

Lemtur, in the meantime, took his time earlier than shifting gears. Once set, he discovered the fence with precision — threading gaps, leaning into drives, and taking up the spinners.

He lofted R. Sai Kishore twice over long-on and Chandrasekar over mid-wicket, as Tamil Nadu desperately looked for solutions.

Just earlier than tea, Lemtur clipped one off his pads for a boundary to deliver up a hard-earned century — his first in First Class cricket, one which took the fizz out of the assault earlier than dangerous gentle ended an eventful day’s play for Nagaland.

The scores: Tamil Nadu — 1st innings: 512 for 3 decl.

Nagaland — 1st innings: Sedezhalie Rupero b Gurjapneet 6, Dega Nischal (batting) 161, Hem Chetri c Athish b Gurjapneet 0, Rongsen Jonathan c Indrajith b Gurjapneet 0, Chetan Bist b Gurjapneet 4, Yugandhar Singh c Athish b Chandrasekar 67, Imliwati Lemtur (batting) 115; Extras (w-2, nb-1, lb-4, pen-5): 12; Total (for 5 wkts. in 127 overs): 365.

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-9, 3-9, 4-31, 5-160.

Tamil Nadu bowling: Warrier 25-8-75-0, Gurjapneet 25-7-57-4, Ambrish 9-1-41-0, Sai Kishore 35-11-90-0, Chandrasekar 25-4-63-1, Pradosh 4-0-14-0, Shahrukh 4-1-16-0.