Seasoned campaigners captain Manoj Tiwary and Anustup Majumdar defied immense stress and scored fighting half-centuries to keep Bengal afloat in the Ranji Trophy closing at the Eden Gardens right here on Saturday.
Resuming at 317 for 5, Saurashtra gathered 87 runs in a little bit over two hours to mixture 404, the most runs conceded by Bengal in an innings this season, and safe a 230-run lead.
Responding to the problem, Bengal scored 169 for 4 in its second innings to path by 61 runs at stumps on the third day.
Another unhealthy begin
Bengal had one other disappointing begin as opener Sumanta Gupta was once more out to Chetan Sakariya earlier than lunch in an uncannily comparable trend — caught at the second slip in the second over — to his first-innings dismissal.
In the less-testing second interval, the visiting pacers bowled good strains to cut back Bengal to 47 for 3. Abhimanyu Easwaran, who escaped a run-out try, was caught behind off Sakariya and Sudip Gharami was held at first slip off Jaydev Unadkat.
Fighting again: Anustup Majumdar batted nicely alongside his skipper, Manoj Tiwary, to give Bengal hope.
| Photo Credit:
PTI
However, Majumdar and Tiwary refused to surrender. Anustup labored the ball round, whereas Tiwary took 10 balls to rating his first run. Even as they appeared to spend time in the center, Majumdar and Tiwary dispatched the free deliveries to the boundary.
Majumdar (61, 101b, 8×4) shared a useful 99-run partnership with Tiwary earlier than taking part in Unadkat to gully. A decided Tiwary (57 n.o., 129b, 9×4) didn’t lose focus although. He stayed with Shahbaz Ahmed to combat one other day.
Rare lapse
Earlier, Bengal started on an encouraging observe with Mukesh Kumar scalping Arpit Vasavada, who, in a uncommon lapse, linked an away-going supply to the ’keeper, in the first over.
Mukesh struck once more, discovering the different in a single day batter Chirag Jani’s exterior edge and securing a four-wicket haul. Akash Deep produced two beauties to dismiss Unadkat and Prerak Mankad.
But, Saurashtra’s final pair — Parth Bhut, who was dropped twice off Akash Deep, and Dharmendra Jadeja — annoyed the host by including 35 runs.
Ishan Porel took Dharmendra as his third sufferer to finish Saurashtra’s innings.
The scores:
Bengal —1st innings: 174.
Saurashtra — 1st innings: Harvik Desai lbw b Mukesh 50, Jay Gohil b Akash Deep 6, Vishvaraj Jadeja c Abishek b Mukesh 25, Chetan Sakariya b Ishan 8, Sheldon Jackson c sub b Ishan 59, Arpit Vasavada c Abishek b Mukesh 81, Chirag Jani c Abishek b Mukesh 60, Prerak Mankad c Abishek b Akash Deep 33, Jaydev Unadkat c Abishek b Akash Deep 4, Parth Bhut (not out) 14, Dharmendra Jadeja c sub b Ishan 29; Extras (b-18, lb-9, nb-8): 35; Total (in 110 overs): 404.
Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-73, 3-101, 4-109, 5-204, 6-318, 7-343, 8-358, 9-369.
Bengal bowling: Mukesh 37-9-111-4, Akash Deep 36-6-111-3, Ghatak 7-1-29-0, Ishan 21-3-86-3, Shahbaz 8-0-35-0, Tiwary 1-0-5-0.
Bengal — 2nd innings: Sumanta Gupta c Mankad b Sakariya 1, Abhimanyu Easwaran c Harvik b Sakariya 16, Sudip Gharami c Mankad b Unadkat 14, Anustup Majumdar c Vishvaraj b Unadkat 61, Manoj Tiwary (batting) 57, Shahbaz Ahmed (batting) 13; Extras (b-4, lb-2, nb-1): 7; Total (for 4 wkts. in 53 overs): 169.
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-22, 3-47, 4-146.
Saurashtra bowling: Unadkat 14-1-47-2, Sakariya 13-2-50-2, Jani 5-0-12-0, Dharmendra 8-2-21-0, Mankad 9-1-21-0, Bhut 4-0-12-0.
