Internet Desk: A five for from off spinner Aamir Gani helped Bengal seize the initiative against Services on the third day of the Ranji Trophy at the Palam Ground on Sunday. Gani returned with figures of 5/109 as Services were bowled out for 359, giving Bengal a lead of 191 runs.
Services were cruising at one time with 103/1, with Navneet Singh hammering a fluent 121 off 284 balls with 13 fours. But 21 year old Gani bowled intelligently to pull things back for Bengal as he picked the next four wickets of the Services innings. Services were reduced to 257 for 5 due to his efforts. Experienced Anustup Majumder too chipped in with two key wickets of Khalid Ahmad and Suraj Yadav as they looked to stich a partnership.
Services batsman Ravi Chauhan scored a fifty but that was not enough to hand Bengal a crucial first innings lead.
In its second innings, Bengal was comfortably placed with the openers Abhishek Raman and Abhimanyu Easwaran putting on a 77-run partnership. It may be difficult for Bengal to force the host into submission on the last day, even though the team is already 268 runs ahead.
Brief scores:
Bengal 1st innings: 552/9 decl.
Services 1st innings: 359 (Navneet Singh 121, Ravi Chauhan 53, Aamir Gani 5/109, Anustup Majumdar 2/63).
Bengal 2nd innings: 77 for no loss in 11 overs (Abhishek Raman 40*, Abhimanyu Easwaran 31*).