Internet Desk: Bengal took a healthy lead of 308 runs against Railways in Ranji Trophy Group A clash in Dharamasala on Friday. Manoj Tiwary led side has scored 208/9 in 74.2 overs at stumps on Day 2. Captain Tiwary and Wriddhiman Saha made useful contributions with the bat scoring 48 and 44 runs respectively. Bengal medium pacer Ashoke Dinda took five wickets to give Bengal a crucial lead of 100 runs.
Bengal openers Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sayan Sekhar Mandal started the second innings cautiously. Young Abhimanyu looked good to score a big innings until he played a lose stroke outside off stump to be caught behind by Mahesh Rawat of the bowling of Karan Thakur. Easwaran scored 25 runs. At lunch the score was 46/1.
Railways bowler Deepak Bansal saw the back of Sayan Sekhar Mandal, trapping him plumbed in front of the wicket. For the second time in the match the Bengal opener failed to captalise after getting a start. Sayan Sekhar managed to score 30 runs, with the score on 115/3.
Sudip Chatterjee, who scored a gritty 85 runs in the first innings played some attacking shots before holding out to Arindam Ghosh of the bowling of Karan Thakur. The left hander scored 20 runs in his brief stay at the wicket with four hits to the fence.
“He batted really well. Played a matured innings at a time when it was required for the team. He was putting away the bad balls nicely. Unlucky, he missed out on a hundred,” Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary later said after the days play.
Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary along with India stumper Wriddhiman Saha looked to put on a partnership, as they took the score to 141/3 at tea. This was the most fruitful session for Bengal as they scored 95 runs, losing just two wickets.
Railways struck immediately after tea, getting rid of Manoj Tiwary. The Bengal captain, who looked to play sensibly in the middle fell just 2 runs short of scoring another first class fifty. Tiwary was caught behind by Mahesh Rawat off the bowling of Anureet Singh. The Bengal skipper struck 7 boundaries in his 71 ball innings. Bengal was 143/4 after 44.3 overs.
Agniv Pan was the next batsman to depart as he edged an out swinger from Deepak Bansal to Railways wicket keeper Mahesh Rawat. Bengal was 160/5.
Saha, who was looking good after the failure in first innings played a lose shot to be caught by Karn Sharma off the bowling of Deepak Bansal. Saha’s knock (44 runs) included 9 boundaries. Bengal scored 183/6.
Karan Thakur gave Railways another breakthrough by getting Aamir Gani caught behind for 12 runs. Soon to follow Gani was Dinda. The Bengal medium pacer was caught and bowled by Amit Mishra for 1 run. It was Mishra again who struck for Railways, getting Kuila bowled. Pankaj Shaw was batting on 19 runs when umpires called off play due to insufficient light.
Bengal is already 308 runs ahead with a wicket still in hand. It will be quite an uphill task for Railways to get past the Bengal total in the second innings. Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary feel seemed pleased with the performance of his boys.
According to the Bengal captain, “The wicket had bounce and the ball was moving. It was helping the seamers. 14 wickets fell in the day. I am quite happy with the position we are in at the end of the day. Tomorrow our plan will be to get them out as early as possible and then put some runs on the board. But I think it will be a low scoring game.”
Dinda, who has been in tremendous form with the ball feel, “Only one team can win from here and that is Bengal. We are already 308 runs ahead with Pankaj Shaw still batting. We bowled them for 105 so that must be in their minds. But still we need to bowl at the right areas and line to get them out second time. I have explained the juniors about it.”
He further added, “If we go on to win and secure 6 points we will have an opportunity to head Group A points table. So we all must put our best effort in securing the full points.”
Dinda is not thinking too much ahead of his comeback into the Indian team. The spirited fast bowler said,” I am not thinking too much ahead. I try and explain myself that just securing 40-50 wickets in a season will get you back in the National team. Everyone is doing well and there is too much contribution. My main focus is to bowl well and try and help Bengal win the Ranji Trophy.”
Brief Scores: Bengal 205 and 208/9 (Manoj Tiwary 48.
Wriddhiman Saha 44, Sayan Sekhar Mondal 30, Karan Thakur 3/39, Deepak Bansal 3/40)
Railways 105 all out (Karn Sharma 40, Ashok Dinda 5/45).