KOLKATA: It will need some special effort from Bengal to save this match as Uttar Pradesh finished Day 2 of the Elite Group ‘A’ Ranji Trophy tie enjoying a healthy 151-run lead with six wickets in hand at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday.
The Bengal first innings, which folded up soon after the lunch break at 169, fell short of UP’s first-innings total of 198 by 29 runs.
Although Ishan Porel once again struck early dismissing opener Aanjaneya Suryavanshi (4) and Priyam Garg (0) in consecutive overs, an unbroken fifth-wicket stand between Akshdeep Nath and Rinku Singh put UP in the driver’s seat.
The duo not only pulled the side out of the wood which was reeling at one time at 40 for four, but also scored at a brisk pace in the last session of play to put the hosts under pressure.
Rinku, who was UP’s highest run-getter in the first-innings, picked up from where he had left playing his shots right from the word go.
Akshdeep too provided him with good company as the duo dominated the bowling getting 82 runs without being separated off just 96 balls with Rinku staying unbeaten on 44 and Akshdeep on 47.
Earlier the Bengal first innings caved in without much of a fight. The fact that tailender Akash Deep was their highest run-getter with 41 runs did not speak well of the effort of their batters.
Skipper Manoj Tiwary (23), Abhishek Porel (33) and Shahbaz Ahmed (21) all got the starts but failed to carry on or stitch together a meaningful partnership.
Had Akash Dep not thrown his bat around hitting four sixes and two fours during his 31-ball stay, Bengal would have been in deeper trouble.
Brief scores: Uttar Pradesh 198 & 122/4 in 36 overs (Rinku Singh 44 batting, Akshdeep Nath 47 batting) Bengal 169 in 43.3 overs (Abhishek Porel 33, Akash Deep 41; Shivan Mavi 6/55). UP lead by 151 runs.
