Bengal advanced to the quarter-finals of the Ranji Trophy on Friday with a blistering innings and 50-run victory over Haryana in their elite Group ‘A’ match at Chaudhary Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium Lahlri.
Pacer Akash deep made a star turn, taking 10 wickets for Bengal (5 wickets each in Haryana’s second innings) as the hosts’ second innings fell to his 206. Bengal scored a big 419 in the first innings on Anustup Majumdar’s contribution of his 145.
His bowlers proved too strong for Haryana’s batsmen, so the visitors did not have to make a second plate appearance. Haryana scored just 163 points in the first innings. After being called on to continue, Haryana again struggled in batting against the disciplined bowling of the Bengal pace battery led by Akash Deep. Mukesh Kumar (62-3) and Ishan Porel (42-2) were his two other names in the Bengali’s pace victory that ended Haryana’s defeat.
Haryana’s tail was the result of the night when he restarted with 177 for 7, but it didn’t last long, adding just 29 runs in ten overs before surrendering to the Bengal pacemakers.
The win saw Manoj Tiwary’s Bengal side top the Group A undefeated group with 32 points after four wins and two draws.
Bengal have just one match left in the league stage, starting Tuesday at home to Orissa at Eden Gardens.
The scores:
Bengal – 1st innings: 419.
Haryana – 1st innings: 163.
Haryana – 2nd innings:
Chaitanya Bishnoi c Abishek Porel b Ishan Porel 55, Yuvraj Singh c A. Porel b Mukesh Kumar 78, Ankit Kumar lbw b I. Porel 0, Himanshu Rana c A. Porel b Akash Deep 16, Nishant Sindhu c Tiwary b Mukesh Kumar 6, Rohit Sharma b Akash Deep 1, Sumit Kumar c Easwaran b Mukesh Kumar 13, Harshal Patel lbw b Akash Deep 1, Amit Rana b Akash Deep 20, Ajit Chahal c (sub) Gupta b Akash Deep 0, Aman Kumar (not out) 3; Extras (b-5, lb-7, w-1): 13, Total (in 79 overs): 206.
Fall of wickets: 1-129, 2-129, 3-156, 4-162, 5-167, 6-175, 7-177, 8-189, 9-190.
Bengal bowling:
Mukesh Kumar 23-7-62-3, Karan Lal 7-0-18-0, Pramanik 8-1-21-0, Akash Deep 21-5-51-5, Ishan Porel 20-5-42-2.
Result: Bengal won by an innings and 50 runs.