Veteran seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar blew away Bengal top-order in an unimaginable five-wicket haul in a dream Ranji Trophy comeback as Uttar Pradesh bounced again after being shot out for 60 on the opening day of their group B match right here on Friday.
Opting to bowl on a green-top pitch after a delayed begin, Uttar Pradesh’s first innings lasted simply 20.5 overs within the opening session.
India pacer Mohammed Shami’s youthful brother Mohammed Kaif was the star for Bengal, claiming 4/14 in his 5.5 overs.
But what unfolded thereafter was a Bhuvi present because the injury-prone India seamer marked his first-class return by claiming 5/25 from 13 overs, that included three maiden overs.
The 33-year-old, who final performed in Tests within the South Africa tour in 2018, dismissed Sourav Paul (13) and Sudip Gharami (0) within the area of three balls.
He then returned to take the wickets of Anustup Majumdar (12), captain Manoj Tiwary (3) and Abhishek Porel (12) in a single spell en path to his thirteenth first-class fifer.
With India’s five-match residence Test sequence towards England on the horizon and doubts lingering over Mohammed Shami’s return, it stays to be seen if the selectors are prompted to rethink Bhuvneshwar after Friday’s present.
At stumps, Bengal had been 95/5. Opener Sayan Ghosh, enjoying the lone vigil with a dogged 37 off 87 balls, was the final designated Bengal batter. He has Karan Lal in firm, batting on 8.
Iyer 48, Rahane golden duck on return
Andhra’s 20-year-old seamer Nitish Reddy grabbed 3/20, together with the prized-scalps of Ajinkya Rahane and Shreyas Iyer, to forestall Mumbai from establishing a agency grip in one other group B match.
Hosts Mumbai had been restricted to 281/6 at stumps.
Reddy dismissed the Mumbai skipper and veteran Indian batter Rahane for a golden duck after which denied Iyer a half-century by two runs in his comeback match.
Returning to the Mumbai XI for the primary time within the Ranji Trophy for the reason that 2018-19 season, Iyer entertained with a run-a-ball 48 (7×4).
But Iyer, who struggled for kind within the two-match Test sequence in South Africa, couldn’t convert his begin and have become the fifth wicket to fall for Mumbai.
The day, nonetheless, started with optimism for the 41-time Ranji champions, as their top-order batters aimed to put a stable basis after Ricky Bhui opted to bowl.
Opener Jay Bista set the muse with a gritty innings of 39 runs off 78 balls, however fell to a catch by substitute fielder Okay Ashwin Hebbar with Reddy breaking the opening stand for 69.
In the very subsequent over, Rahane, who can be returning after sitting out of the opening match attributable to a stiff neck, was trapped by Reddy.
The different opener Bhupen Lalwani confirmed resolve to play anchor, notching up 61 runs in 119 balls, displaying a stability of method and persistence in his partnership with Suved Parkar.
But, he was cleaned up by Lalith Mohan, leaving Suved Parkar and Iyer to stabilise Mumbai innings.
Later, Prasad Pawar and Shams Mulani performed essential roles, batting on 30 and 31 respectively to make sure that Mumbai finish the day on a optimistic be aware, minimizing the injury brought on by earlier dismissals.
Brief Scores:
In Kanpur: Uttar Pradesh 60 all out in 20.5 overs (Samarth Singh 13; Mohammed Kaif 4/14, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal 3/20, Ishan Porel 2/24) vs Bengal 95 for five in 28 overs (Sayan Ghosh 37 batting; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 5/25).
In Mumbai: Mumbai 281 for six in 88 overs (Bhupen Lalwani 61, Shreyas Iyer 48, Suved Parkar 41, Shams Mulani 30 batting, Tanush Kotian 31 batting; Nitish Reddy 3/44, Shoaib Md Khan 2/42) vs Andhra.
In Patna: Bihar 108 all out in 38.4 overs (Bipin Saurabh 49; Ravi Kiran 5/21, Vashudev Bareth 3/21) vs Chhattisgarh 90 for 1 in 27 overs (Rishabh Tiwari 42 batting).
In Guwahati: Kerala 141 for 1 in 37 overs (Rohan Kunnummal 83, Krishna Prasad 52 batting) vs Assam.
