UP pacers bundle out Bengal for paltry 149

They went into their crucial fifth round Ranji Trophy encounter equally matched...

They went into their crucial fifth round Ranji Trophy encounter equally matched—Uttar Pradesh and Bengal are on eight points each. After the first day’s play today at the Eden, Mohammad Kaif & Co showed which team is the boss.

Riding some stinging spells of pace bowling on a nippy morning, and backed by an ominous-looking knock from Suresh Raina, UP finished Day I of the Elite Group B clash clearly on top, having bundled out Bengal for 149, and having scored 128/2 by draw of stumps. The all-important first innings lead is now a matter of formality.

On a distinctly lively wicket, Laxmi Ratan Shukla took the risk of opting to bat first. Little did he realise that the UP pace attack of Praveen Kumar (3/51), Sudeep Tyagi (1/41) and debutant Bhubaneshwar Kumar (3/25) would reduce the Bengal boys from 40 for no loss to 91 for 8.

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The UP batsmen replied strongly, with Raina unbeaten on a punishing 55 off 67 balls.

Bengal will rue losing their calm on the field, apart from being beaten on all cricketing fronts. In an unsavoury incident that fittingly reflects the frustration seething in the Bengal camp, Manoj Tiwary (2 runs off 16 balls) went on the boil at being given out leg-before, and left a bad taste in the mouth after arguing with the umpires.

Tyagi’s booming new ball bouncers to openers Arindam Das (19) and Anustup Majumder (19) was a signal of what was to follow. Newcomer Bhubaneshwar broke the opening 40-run stand, inducing an Anustup edge to the keeper. And the rest of the batting simply caved in.

For the late recovery, the credit goes to lanky off-spinner Sourasish Lahiri (40) and pacer Ranadeb Bose (12), who saved Bengal from being bundled out for less than 100. Theirs was a 39-run stand for the ninth wicket even as leggie Piyush Chawla mopped up the tail (3/29).

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Bengal didn’t get their bearings right on the bowling front too, their new-ball duo of Ranadeb and Shib Sankar Paul (2/25) not posing too many threats.

Brief scores: Bengal 149 (Bhubaneshwar Kumar 3/25, P Chawla 3/29) v Uttar Pradesh 128/2 (R Prakash 58, S Raina 55 batting; SS Paul 2/25)