Ranji Trophy: MCA Ground pitches among best in country

Shillong, Nov 4: Preparations are on in earnest to host the second home match of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 Elite Group A at the MCA Ground in Polo here, with Meghalaya set to host Jammu and Kashmir in the multi-day match from Wednesday.

The curator and ground staff have been dedicatedly working for months to get the pitches to a high standard and their work has been appreciated by BCCI officials.

“It is a proud moment to receive praise and adulation from BCCI Neutral Curators, Match Referees, Umpires and cricketers of other states regarding the quality of our Table of 9 wickets (pitches), since last season,” MCA President Nababrata Bhattacharjee said today. “All of them rank our wickets among the top 7-8 in the country.”

Such recognition inspires the entire MCA to reach the top, he added.

Meghalaya lost their first three matches of the season against top-quality opposition but their last fixture saw them hit 461 runs over two innings in a significant improvement in the batting department, though more still needs to be accomplished and the team is well aware of and working towards that.

Jammu and Kashmir drew their first two matches of the season but then soundly defeated Services by an innings and 25 runs in Srinagar recently.

Bhattacharjee went on to salute the hard work and dedication of MCA curator Peter J Lamare, a BCCI-qualified curator, and chief groundsman Pobitro Rabha and all the ground staff.

“It is a challenge to maintain wickets at such optimal level of performance, assisting fairly to both batsmen and bowlers alike, in a high altitude location like Shillong with fewer sunshine hours and temperatures reaching single digits from November end. All credit to our ground staff,” he signed off.

Like in other BCCI matches held here, spectator seating is available and entry is free.