The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Baroda has edge over Bengal

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Friday, Jan 20, 2006

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Baroda has edge over Bengal

Special Correspondent

A battle between teams high on confidence

KOLKATA: The five-day Ranji Trophy semifinal between Baroda and Bengal, starting at the Eden Gardens here from Friday, is expected to be a battle between two teams high on confidence and performance.

Yet, the manner in which the rival teams made it to the knockout phase of the National championship suggests that the visiting team enjoys an edge over the host. The home advantage notwithstanding, the pressure will be on Bengal to tame Baroda, the champion of the Elite group `B'.

Impressive record

Baroda won three of the six matches outright and won the other three on first innings lead to end with 19 points — highest in the league phase. The team is yet to taste a defeat going into the semifinals.

On the other hand, Bengal, clubbed in the Elite group `A', considered as the group of death, made it to the last four stage by finishing second (13 points) behind leader Mumbai (16).

Baroda has been well served by skipper Jacob Martin (486 runs, 251 not out as highest), Connor Williams (410, 138), Pinal Shah (377, 217 not out), Rakesh Solanki (330, 107), Kiran Powar (350, 94) and Yusuf Khan Pathan (244, 76).

Zaheer Khan is the highest wicket taker with 20. He is followed by Rajesh Pawar (21), Yusuf Pathan (18) and Rakesh Patel (17).

Rakesh Patel returns

Baroda has certainly been bolstered by the return of Rakesh Patel, who missed two Ranji games owing to injury. Left-arm spinner Rajesh Pawar too is back giving the team the needed edge. Injured opener Satyajit Parab has been left out and India under-19 wicketkeeper Pinal Shah is

expected to open the batting with Williams. This means the team is certain to have two changes. Coach Balwinder Singh Sandhu said on the eve of the match that the playing XI would be decided only after taking a final look at the pitch on Friday.

Bengal too has a good batting line up with Rohan Gavaskar (422 runs, 154 as highest) leading the run-getters' list. He is followed by Arindam Das (399, 70), Deep Dasgupta (367, 143), Subhamoy Das (361, 83), Avishek Jhunjhunwala (339, 139) and Manoj Tiwari (251, 80).

On the bowling side, Bengal attack looks a bit thin with only off-spinner Sourashish Lahiri and Shib Shankar Paul among wickets with 33 and 27 wickets respectively. Second seamer Ranadeb Bose (10) and left-arm spinner Shiv Sagar Singh (5) have not performed to the expectations so far.

Rohan Gavaskar is down with fever on the eve of the game.

The teams (from): Baroda: Jacob Martin (captain), Pinal Shah (wk), Connor Williams, Rakesh Solanki, Yusuf Khan Pathan, Rajesh Pawar, Rakesh Patel, Ajit Bhoite, Kiran Powar, Shekhar Joshi, Irfan Safi Pathan, Shatunjay Gaekwad, Murtuja Vahora, Shankalp Vohra and Miten Shah.

Bengal: Deep Dasgupta (captain, wk), Arindam Das, Subhamoy Das, Avishek Jhunjhunwala, Rohan Gavaskar, Manoj Tiwari, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Sourashish Lahiri, Shiv Sagar Singh, Ranadeb Bose, Shib Shankar Paul, Subhajit Pal, Ashok Dinda, Murtaza Lodhgar and Kamal Hassan Mondal.

Umpires: Jasbir Singh (Punjab) & Sudhir Asnani (MP). Match referee: Balbir Singh (Punjab).

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