Ranji Trophy Final: Saurashtra Take Firm Grip Against Bengal As Jaydev Unadkat, Chetan Sakariya Star

Saurashtra look poised to elevate their second Ranji Trophy after skipper Jaydev Unadkat and Chetan Sakariya grabbed two wickets every to go away hosts Bengal struggling at 169 for 4 of their second innings on day three of the ultimate on the Eden Gardens on Saturday. While Bengal skipper Manoj Tiwary remained unbeaten on 57, the hosts are nonetheless 61 runs in need of Saurashtra’s first-innings complete of 404, and with each Saurashtra left-arm tempo bowlers respiratory hearth, Unadkat’s aspect may effectively wrap up the sport on Sunday.

Bengal’s pace-heavy assault appeared ineffective within the morning as Saurashtra, persevering with from the place they’d left on Friday night — 317/5 — added 87 extra runs to take their rating previous 400.

Though in a single day batters Arpit Vasavada (81) and Chirag Jani (60) perished rapidly, tail-enders Prerak Mankad (33) and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja (29) gave Saurashtra the successful edge. To add to Bengal’s woes, they gave away 35 extras.

Coming in to bat within the second innings, Bengal had a harrowing begin with the tempo duo of Sakariya (2/50) and Unadkat (2/47) rattling the top-order to scale back them to 47/3 within the post-lunch session.

Still trailing by 183 runs, an innings defeat loomed massive when the veteran duo of Anustup Majumdar (61) and Tiwary got here collectively and gave the 1,000-odd followers some hope with their 99-run partnership.

At shut, Shahbaz Ahmed (13 batting) was giving Tiwary firm on the crease.

Bengal can solely hope for a magical turnaround in quest of their maiden Ranji Trophy title in 32 years.

The onus is on Tiwary and Shahbaz, the final recognised batting pair for Bengal, to make an unbelievable turnaround.

Earlier tempo bowler Mukesh Kumar emerged probably the most profitable Bengal bowler on Saturday, ending with figures of 4/111 and eliminating each well-set in a single day batters Vasavada and Jani.

Having managed simply three wickets on Friday, the much-vaunted Bengal assault wrapped up Saurashtra’s final 5 wickets in two hours and 6 minutes within the first session on Saturday. But it appeared too little, too late because the host bowlers had allowed Saurashtra to take their rating previous 400.

Vasavada failed so as to add to his in a single day complete of 81 and nicked an away-going supply. Jani was dismissed when Mukesh acquired the ball to swing away after pitching. The ball made a feather-touch contact with Jani’s bat and sailed to the wicket-keeper.

Akash Deep hit the deck arduous to bounce out Prerak Mankad with a ball that sharply reduce in and clipped the batter’s gloves.

He acquired his third wicket, dismissing Unadkat (4) cheaply. But from 369/9, Saurashtra raced to 404 with their final pair of Parth Bhut (14 not out) and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja (29) irritating the Bengal bowlers.

Pressed into the opener’s function, Bengal debutant Sumanta Gupta confirmed he nonetheless has lots of work to do, as he poked at a Sakariya supply to be caught within the slip cordon.

Bengal’s largest letdown was India An everyday Abhimanyu Easwaran (12) whose horror present with the bat continued, executed in by a size supply that swung away.

Bengal’s disaster man Anustup Majumdar appeared in management and soaked up the stress. But Unadkat dismissed the veteran cricketer when he chased an away-going supply to be caught at gully.

Tiwary and Shahbaz then survived some anxious moments to maintain the faint hopes alive.

Saurashtra had received their maiden Ranji Trophy title beating Bengal three years in the past at Rajkot.

Brief scores: Bengal 174 and 169/4; 52.5 overs (Anustup Majumdar 61, Manoj Tiwary 57 batting). Saurashtra 404; 110 overs (Arpit Vasavada 81, Chirag Jani 60, Sheldon Jackson 59, Harvik Desai 50; Mukesh Kumar 4/111, Akash Deep 3/111, Ishan Porel 3/86). Bengal path by 61 runs.

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