Rajasthan take first innings lead over Bengal

Rajasthan placed themselves in a commanding position by obtaining a first innings lead of 93 runs against Bengal in their Ranji Trophy Super League Group A encounter at the Eden Gardens on Saturday. In the process they also guaranteed themselves of five points. Bengal were all out for 284 replying to Rajasthan's first innings score of 377. In their second innings at close of play on the third day, Rajasthan were 72 for three wickets at stumps.

Much depended on Devang Gandhi. But the former Indian player disappointed getting out in the fourth over of the day. Trying to cut off spinner Rahul Kanwath, Gandhi nicked a catch to wicketkeeper R. Jahalani. It was a stroke that could have been avoided as the ball was too full for the cut shot. It was then a matter of time before the Bengal innings ended. The only person who waged a single handed battle was Srikanth Kalyani. He fought on gamely and remained unbeaten on 83 with the help of seven boundaries when the innings ended. He played each ball on its merit and was severe on anything that was pitched short.

However, other than Wrichik Mazumdar, nobody was there to support Kalyani's cause. Mazumdar (25 with three boundaries) added 46 for the seventh wicket. But then he fell to good catch at silly point of the bowling of R. Jaykumar, Nikhil Doru anticipating the sharp bat-pad chance to his right.

Left arm spinner Devinder Pal Singh was the most successful bowler scalping three wickets. He bowled a restrictive line forcing the batsman into errors. Anshu Jain, Jaykumar and Kanwath picked up a couple apiece. However, Bengal came back strongly in the match in the second innings. They had both the Rajasthan openers back in the pavilion with only 20 runs on the board. Lakshmi Ratan Shukla dismissed skipper Gagan Khoda and Utpal Chatterjee, bowling with the new ball, trapped Anhsu Jain leg before. However Kanwath and Nikhil Doru steadied the innings. Kanwath fell two overs before close to Chatterjee but by then the two had probably thwarted Bengal's hopes of a victory.