Ranji 2016-17: Bengal, Baroda struggle to cope with the conditions as 23 wickets fall on Day 1
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Bengal Team being felicitated ahead of their 400th first class game at Lahli against Baroda | Image : Twitter@CABCricket[/caption]
Internet Desk: It was high voltage drama at Chaudhary Bansi Lal Stadium in Lahli for the Bengal versus Baroda Ranji Trophy Group A clash on Monday. As many as 23 wickets fell on Day 1 with Baroda taking a crucial first innings lead of 21 runs.
After Bengal skittled out Baroda for a meagre 97 runs riding on Ashoke Dinda's 6 for 45, little did they know what awaited them in second session.
Young Baroda seamer Atit Seth (7/36) wreaked havoc as he blew away the Bengal top order. Manoj Tiwary failed to cope with the swing and seam movement and was bundled out for 76.
Such was the abysmal performance of Bengal batsmen that only Sudip Chatterjee (37) managed a respectable score with only Sayan Sekhar Mondal (13) being the other batsman to reach double figures. Nine other Bengal players managed only 26 runs between them.
With a slender lead of 21 runs, Baroda showed attacking intent in second innings reaching 63 for 3 with an overall lead of 84 runs.
The first innings lead is inconsequential in this match as there will certainly be an outright result but Baroda have their nose ahead.
In the morning, Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary won a good toss and rightly opted to bowl. Dinda brushed aside off field controversies to grab his 21st five-wicket haul in first class cricket.
He was ably supported by Mukesh Kumar (3/39) and Amit Kuila (1/12). Most of the dismissals were either behind the stumps in slip cordon or let before when the ball moved off the pitch. Aditya Waghmode was top scorer for Baroda with 17.
The ineptness was evident when Deepak Hooda who scored 293 at Kotla against Punjab didn't have the technique to cope with swinging deliveries of Kumar, who got the ball to cut both ways.
Dinda as usual hit the deck hard and got sufficient inward movement. However a thick layer of grass must have intimidated the Bengal youngsters as two first class match old Atit made them look like novices.
Only Sudip showed some composure playing 62 balls but likes Abhimanyu Easwaran was beaten by movement, so was skipper Tiwary, whose poor footwork during initial part saw him edge one to Pinal Shah behind stumps.
The extra grass layer meant appreciable movement off the pitch which Bengal players didn’t managed to cope. A lead around 200 runs will certainly put Bengal in trouble if pitch doesn't wear out. The Bengal batsmen will look to leave behind the failure of first innings and put up a better performance in the milestone match as the team is playing it's 400th first class match.
Brief Scores:
Baroda – 1st innings: 97 all out (Ashok Dinda 6/45) and 63/3 Bengal - 1st innings: 76 all out (Atit Seth 7/36) Baroda – 2nd innings: 63/3 (Kedar Devdhar 34*, Mukesh Kumar 2/22)
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