Ranji Trophy | Chatterjee, Gupta take Bengal right into a place of power

Bengal rode on Sudip Chatterjee and Sumanta Gupta’s accountable half-centuries to safe the primary innings lead towards Uttarakhand on the second day of the Ranji Trophy Group-C match on the Eden Gardens right here on Thursday. Resuming on eight for one, Bengal scored 274 for six to earn an important 61-run lead when the day’s play ended with the autumn of Vishal Bhati.

Bengal misplaced Sudip Gharami early as Devendra Bora had him caught behind. Chatterjee and Anustup Majumdar added 43 runs earlier than the latter was adjudged leg-before off Bora. Vice-captain Abishek Porel spoiled his good begin by pulling Avneesh Sudha to mid-wicket on the stroke of lunch.

On a two-paced pitch with low bounce, the left-right pair of Chatterjee and Gupta confirmed intent and persistence to construct an essential 156-run stand to steer Bengal out of a difficult scenario and put it able of power. Playing the anchor’s position for six hours and 41 minutes, Chatterjee (98, 264b, 12×4) gathered runs cautiously with a strike fee of 37.12. The left-hander prioritised singles, however he additionally performed good-looking drives, cuts and flicks to get his boundaries.

Gupta (82 batting, 149b, 7×4) rotated the strike effectively although he hardly ever bought his runs in entrance of the stumps. Most of his fours got here on the off-side.

The all-important fifth-wicket stand helped Bengal surpass Uttarakhand’s 213 early within the ultimate session. With Chatterjee shifting into the 90s, the motion turned much more uninteresting as Uttarakhand bowlers selected a line that denied the Bengal batters scoring alternatives.

After Uttarakhand took the brand new ball, Chatterjee performed a poor shot, flicking Bora to fine-leg boundary, to depart on a word of disappointment. Bora, essentially the most profitable touring bowler, hit an excellent size and bought some motion to seize 4 wickets up to now and higher his earlier finest (three for 40).

The scores: Uttarakhand — 1st innings: 213 in 72.5 overs.

Bengal — 1st innings: Abhimanyu Easwaran c Chopra b Bora 0, Sudip Chatterjee c Suchith b Bora 98, Sudip Gharami c Chopra b Bora 15, Anustup Majumdar lbw b Bora 35, Abishek Porel c Janmejay b Avneesh 21, Sumanta Gupta (batting) 82, Vishal Bhati b Rajan 15; Extras: (b-1, lb-4, nb-1, w-2): 8; Total (for six wkts. in 92.5 overs): 274.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-20, 3-63, 4-98, 5-254, 6-274.

Uttarakhand bowling: Bora 19-2-65-4, Rajan 13.5-1-45-1, Janmejay 13-1-37-0, Negi 16.4-4-38-0, Avneesh 12.2-0-33-1, Suchith 15-1-39-0, Dangwal 3-0-12-0.