Sports

Bengal take huge lead, on the verge of reaching second Ranji final

Bengal all but sealed their place in the Ranji Trophy final for the second time in three seasons by taking a mammoth 547-run semi-final total against defending champions Madhya Pradesh here on Saturday. The Bengal team had taken a huge lead of 268 runs in the first innings and declared the second innings on 279 runs for nine wickets on the fourth day. If there is a draw in the semi-final match on the fifth day on Sunday, then Bengal will reach the final on the basis of first innings.

First-innings centurion Anustup Majumdar converted last night’s nine-run score into 80 before left-arm spinner Kumar Karthikeya dismissed him in a dubious lbw decision. Majumdar, who scored 120 in the first innings, was again the top scorer for Bengal. After Majumdar’s dismissal, Bengal left-arm spinner Pradipta Pramanik came in to bat at number eight and showed the team’s batting depth by scoring an unbeaten 60 off 101 balls (three fours, five sixes).

Pramanik and Ishaan Porel (01 not out) frustrated the Madhya Pradesh bowling attack as skipper Manoj Tiwary wanted his batsmen to get some much-needed practice ahead of the final. Bengal started the morning at 59 for two after which Majumdar and Sudeep Gharami kept adding runs. But off-spinner Saransh Jain ended the crucial 85-run partnership for the third wicket. Majumdar then shared a useful 39-run partnership with Tiwary (15 runs). Jain took six for 103 and Kumar Kartikeya three for 63 for Madhya Pradesh. The Ranji Trophy final match will begin on February 16.

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