The Hindu : Shiv Shankar forces TN to follow on

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 26, 2003

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Shiv Shankar forces TN to follow on

Tirunelveli Nov. 25. Bengal's Shiv Shankar Paul produced a deadly pace bowling to claim seven for 44 as runner-up Tamil Nadu, after being forced to follow-on, was tottering at 110 for two at close, needing 102 more runs to avoid a humiliating innings defeat, on the penultimate day of their four-day Ranji Trophy Elite Group B league match here on Tuesday.

Replying to Bengal's first innings score of 400, the host, resuming at overnight 84 for three, was bundled out for a paltry 188 in 84.1 overs, 45 minutes after lunch conceding a 212-run lead as Paul claimed five more wickets today to take his innings tally to seven.

S. Badrinath, overnight 49, waged a lone battle scoring 86 (192b, 274m, 2x6, 9x4) while medium pacer C. Ganapathy (32) offered some resistance coming in at No.8 as seven Tamil Nadu batsmen failed to cross the single digit score.

Badrinath too eventually fell a prey to the 22-year old Paul, who has had a fine run this season claiming six wickets apiece in an innings in Bengal's previous matches against Rajasthan and Karnataka.

Tamil Nadu was cautious in its second innings with both the openers S. Suresh and Dinesh Kartik, who was promoted, not taking any risk. But, Paul, who made his debut in 2000-01 season, provided the breakthrough, trapping Suresh (10) leg before while spinner Utpal Chatterjee castled Kartik (35).

The host in its second essay was 110 for two at close with Badrinath (39) and M.R. Madanagopal (20) adding 40 runs for the unfinished third wicket partnership, facing a daunting task with a whole day to negotiate tomorrow.

Brief scores: Bengal 400 vs. Tamil Nadu 188 in 84.1 overs (S. Badrinath 86; Shiv Shankar Paul seven for 44) & 110 for two (S. Badrinath batting 39)

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