Guwahati, Aug 16 (IANS) Captain Denish Das and Saurav Mousum Dihingia produced a composed batting effort before rain brought a premature end to the contest as Barpeta Braves defeated Nagaon Rangers by 14 runs via the VJD Method in the Assam Premier League at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday. The result also confirmed that Nagaon Rangers, Tezpur Titans and Jorhat Stallions are out of contention for the next stage of the competition.
Asked to bat first, Nagaon Rangers posted 133/6 in their 20 overs, with Jitu Ali leading the way with an unbeaten 76 off 48 balls. He struck seven fours and three sixes in a fluent innings that kept Nagaon competitive. Dhruv Raaj Borah added 20 off 19 balls, while SK Jnyanam contributed 12.
Barpeta Braves’ bowlers kept the scoring under control despite Jitu’s late charge. Bikiran Das was the pick of the attack with 2/18 from his four overs.
In reply, Barpeta lost Hrishikesh Das for 21 in the sixth over, but Saurav Mousum Dihingia and Denish Das ensured there was no further damage. The pair put together an unbeaten partnership to keep the Braves comfortably ahead of the required rate.
Dihingia remained unbeaten on 40 off 46 balls, hitting four boundaries, while captain Denish Das once again led from the front with an unbeaten 46 off 32 deliveries. His innings included three fours and a six and came at a strike rate of 143.75.
Barpeta reached 109/1 in 16 overs when rain intervened, with the result subsequently decided by the VJD Method, with Barpeta Braves emerging 14-run winners.
The victory keeps Barpeta Braves firmly in the race for the top spots, while Nagaon Rangers’ defeat brings their campaign to an end. Along with Nagaon, Tezpur Titans and Jorhat Stallions have also been eliminated from contention.
–IANS
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