Pathans give Baroda big lead

Bengal were bowled out for 247 by two teenagers in reply to the hosts' total of 467 at the Gujarat State Fertilizer Corporation Ground on the third day of the Ranji Trophy pre-quarter-final match against Baroda on Monday.

Baroda chose not to enforce the follow-on and were 121 for two when stumps were drawn. SS Parab (33) and Jacob Martin (31) were at the crease with the hosts having an overall lead of 341 runs.

The wreckers-in-chief in the Bengal innings were 17-year-old Irfan Pathan and 19-year-old Irfan Khan Pathan. Irfan Pathan bagged 3/40 with his left arm medium pacers while the right handed medium pacer Irfan Khan Pathan picked up 4/59.

Bengal resumed at one for no loss. Opener Nikhil Haldipur (2) was castled by Irfan Khan Pathan to the first ball of his spell. Pathan bowled a tight spell but was not supported well by Rakesh Patel from the other end. Patel was guilty of overstepping and he had 17 no balls and six wides in his spell.

At the other end, opener AA Lahiri (10) and skipper Debang Gandhi (0), both fell prey to the accurate IK Pathan. Bengal were tottering at 24 for three until Rohan Gavaskar (61) and Shrikant Kalyani (48) put on a face saving 101-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Both batsmen fell in quick succession just when the team wanted either of the two to drop anchor and build on the innings.

On their dismissal, Baroda put the pressure back on the Bengal middle order. It was a brave fightback from the lower order in the shape of veteran all rounder Utpal Chatterjee (52 not out) and AK Das (32) who added a crucial 69 runs for the eighth wicket. But this was not enough as the Bengal innings folded up in 51 overs.

Baroda in their second essay lost the wickets of Connor Williams (32) and H Jadhav (17), both falling to Laxmi Ratan Shukla.