High on confidence with their Vijay Hazare Trophy (Plate) final triumph about two weeks ago against the same opponents, hosts Bihar will aim to do a domestic double over their northeastern rivals when they face Manipur in the Ranji Trophy (Plate) summit clash in Patna starting Thursday. Although the Sakibul Gani-led hosts will enjoy the home advantage at Moin-ul-Haq Stadium, in Manipur they have a worthy opponent who finished on top of the six-team Plate Group with 18 points from five games. Though both had two wins and three draws each, Bihar finished behind Manipur with 16 points from as many games. However, the group league match between the two sides in late October was a pure dampener in Nadiad, Gujarat, as the game ended with Manipur’s first innings unfinished on 387 for six wickets and no play possible in the last two days. The teams had shared honours and taken one point each. But when they face each other for the supremacy in red-ball cricket in the second leg of Ranji Trophy, both will leave no stone unturned. In fact, K Bishorjit-captained Manipur will be eager to take the battle to the hosts’ camp to settle the score at 1-1 instead of finishing the season going 2-0 down to Bihar. Both teams have come up with disciplined and consistent performances throughout the first leg of premier tournament to reach the decisive stage and will be ready to slug it out for final honours and end the season on a high. Meanwhile, Bihar will be without the service of their flamboyant vice-captain Vaibhav Suryavanshi for the crucial clash as the 14-year-old southpaw is busy with his national duty, being part of India’s Under-19 World Cup squad in Zimbabwe and Namibia. Spectators not allowed at stadium: Hosts Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) has appealed to the spectators that the stands at Moin-ul-Haq Stadium are currently not suitable for seating. Therefore, general spectators will not be allowed entry into the stadium. The decision has been taken keeping safety and security in mind.
