The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Bengal snatches slender lead

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Friday, Jan 13, 2006

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Bengal snatches slender lead

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: Bengal snatched a slender 19-run first innings lead over Railways on the third day of the Elite Group `A' Ranji Trophy league match at the Eden Gardens on Thursday.

Railways needed full four points from this game to avoid relegation. It, however, ended the day at 140 for two to enjoy an overall lead of 121 runs by stumps. With just the final day's play remaining, Railways could go for quick runs in the first session on Friday and try and win outright — an option that could well backfire if not timed properly. Bengal, while looking to draw the game, will not lose an opportunity to grab full points depending on the condition of the pitch and the target it might face.

At close, left-handed opener Amit Pagnis (76, 113b, 164m, 8x4) and S. Khanolkar (24) were at the crease after Railways lost captain Sunjoy Bangar and Jai Prakash Yadav rather cheaply.

Bengal's collapse from 169 for two to 248 for seven was mainly due to reckless batting. Bengal middle-order almost brought down the chances of the home side taking the vital lead. With Rohan Gavaskar unable to resume batting owing to the injury he sustained on Wednesday, Manoj Tiwari accompanied Arindam Das to the crease. Yadav trapped Das for 70. Skipper Deep Dasgupta and Tiwari added 52 runs for the fourth wicket before Harvinder Singh triggered a slide in which he grabbed four wickets for the addition of just 20 runs.

He had Tiwari in the 93rd over and dismissed Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Shiv Sagar Singh and Sourashish Lahiri in the 99th over. Ranadeb Bose fell to Yadav compelling Gavaskar to come out to bat. The left-hander lasted only one ball. At 253 for nine, Shib Sankar Paul joined Dasgupta and the two added an invaluable 25 runs for the last wicket to take Bengal past Railways' first innings score of 259.

The scores:

Railways — 1st innings: 259

Bengal — 1st innings: A. Das lbw b Yadav 70, S. Das lbw b Yadav 19, A. Jhunjhunwala b Yadav 55, R. Gavaskar (run out) 11, M. Tiwari c Bangar b Singh 33, D. Dasgupta lbw b Kartik 39, L.R. Shukla c Bangar b Singh 17, S.S. Singh c Wankhede b Singh 0, S. Lahiri lbw b Singh 0, R. Bose c Wankhede b Yadav 3, S.S. Paul (not out) 8. Extras (b-4, lb-11, nb-8): 23. Total (all out in 110.3 overs): 278.

Fall of wickets: 1-39, 2-144, 3-176, 4-28, 5-248, 6-248, 7-248, 8-253, 9-253.

Railways bowling: Yadav 30-10-53-4, H. Singh 27-8-75-4, S. Bangar 14-2-43-0, Kartik 25.3-4-51-1, Parida 11-0-27-0, Khanolkar 3-0-14-0.

Railways — 2nd innings: A. Pagnis (batting) 76, S. Bangar c & b Lahiri 15, J.P. Yadav lbw b Paul 16, S. Khanolkar (batting) 24. Extras (b-4, lb-2, w-1, nb-2): 9. Total (for two wickets in 40 overs): 140.

Fall of wickets: 1-45, 2-97.

Bengal bowling: Paul 10-1-31-1, Bose 8-2-32-0, S.S. Singh 9-1-30-0, Lahiri 11-1-37-1, Tiwari 2-0-4-0.

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