Mangalapuram (Keralam), Oct 28 A formidable Bengal team was on course of completing a hat-trick of victories after reducing hosts Kerala to 53 for 4 in pursuit of a near-impossible 355-run target on a crumbling surface at the end of the third day of a Group C Ranji Trophy encounter.
After veteran off-spinner Jalaj Saxena took his 38th five-wicket haul in his 21st First-Class season to bowl Bengal out for 198, Kerala were left with a mountain to climb as a target of 355 seems unachievable on a surface where there is turn and variable bounce.
It was left-arm spinner Pradipta Pramanik, who took all four wickets in Kerala’s second innings, including the wickets of two batters identically named Abhishek Nair. Both were dismissed for ducks.
However, it was Bengal’s bowlers who did the star turn by bowling out Kerala for 141 in their first innings, thereby earning a huge 209-run lead.
Pramanik was the pick of the bowlers in the first essay, getting 4 for 44. Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami also got 3 for 35 from 11 overs, and Shahbaz Ahmed, after his game-changing century, chipped in with two wickets.
If inclement weather doesn’t play spoil sport, Bengal are set to win by a big margin as it is becoming increasingly difficult to bat on this surface.
If Bengal win, they will consolidate their position at the top with 18 points from three games, having got full points against Delhi and Services respectively.
Gujarat go into 4th day with 120-run lead
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Opener Aarya Desai struck an unbeaten 132 with the help of 14 boundaries and five sixes as Gujarat ended the third day’s play at 227 for 3 against Maharashtra at Pune. Gujarat now have an overall lead of 120 runs going into the final day, but will need a spectacular turnaround to offset Maharashtra’s sizeable first innings lead.
Earlier, Maharashtra rode on a 60-run last-wicket stand between Tanay Sanghvi (31) and Pradeep Dadhe (32) to finish their first innings on 330, which gave them a sizeable lead of 107 runs.
This was after Gujarat had managed only 223 in its first essay on the opening day.
Rain set to deny Delhi chance of outright win against Jharkhand
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At Ranchi, not a single ball was bowled on the third day of Delhi’s third round encounter against Jharkhand, which has effectively ended the visiting team’s chances of earning an outright win.
Jharkhand were in a spot of bother at 131 for 4 at stumps on the second day, and due to a downpour, there was no play possible on the third day.
If the weather permits, Delhi will have to go for three points by virtue of the first-innings lead, or else both teams will end up with a solitary point each since the first innings of Jharkhand couldn’t be completed.
Delhi had declared at 515 for 5 riding on skipper Ayush Badoni’s second consecutive double hundred.
No play for the second successive day in the match between Odisha and Services
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At Bhubaneswar, the third day’s play in the match between Services and Odisha was completely washed out.
On the opening day, Odisha were bowled out for 194 and then Services had reached 13 for no loss at stumps. If no play is possible on the final day, then the teams will split points.
Brief Scores:
At Mangalapuram: Bengal 350 and 2nd Innings 198 in 46 overs (Abhimanyu Easwaran 47, Jalaj Saxena 5/70, Aditya Sarwate 3/72).
Kerala 1st Innings 141 in 51.3 overs (Pradipta Pramanik 4/44, Mohammed Shami 3/35) and 2nd innings (target 355) 53/4 in 20 overs (Pradipta Pramanik 4/21).
At Pune: Gujarat 223 and 2nd Innings 227/3 in 67 overs (Aarya Desai 132 batting). Maharashtra 1st Innings 330 in 120.3 overs (Saurabh Nawale 95, Harshal Kate 84).
(PTI News)
