Niru hits century in Orissa `A` win

Niranjan Behera scored a century to help Orissa `A` crush Tripura by 122 runs on the last day of their two-day league match of the 1st All-India Basant Biswal Memorial Cricket Tournament at the Ravenshaw University ground Cuttack on Saturday. Host Orissa, however experienced mixed luck as Orissa ‘B’ lost to Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) by 59 runs in another league match at the Barabati Stadium. The victorious sides secured three points each, including one bonus point. Niru, as Niranjan Behera is known in close circuit, made 108 off 137 balls (4x14, 6x2) to be adjudged the man of the match. Skipper Shiv Sundar Das and left-arm spinner Dhiraj Singh were other notable performers of the home team, hitting a half-century and bagging four wickets respectively. In reply to Orissa ‘A’s 281, Tripura were dismissed for 159 on the second and last day. In the other league match, Orissa ‘B’ folded up for 150 in reply to Andhra’s 209. B Sumanth of Andhra was named man of the match for his knock of 97. Brief scores: At Ravenshaw University ground: Orissa ‘A’ 281/10 in 65.4 overs (Niranjan Behera 108, Shiv Sundar Das 77, RR Das 32: Rana Datta 4/76, Debabrata Chowdhary 2/50, Sanjib Saha 2/60) beat Tripura 159/6 in 66 overs (Soummay Banik 63, Rajib Datta 37 n.o: Dhiraj Singh 4/54). At Barabati Stadium: Andhra 209/10 in 69.4 overs (B Sumanth 97, D Swaroop Kumar 31: Santosh Jena 3/23, Sayeed Zaki 3/29) beat Orissa ‘B’ 150/10 in 46.2 overs (Prasant Sahoo 39: Kalyan Krishna 4/41, D Siva Kumar 3/13, P Vijay Kumar 2/43).