Opener Subhransu Senapati scored a gritty half-century to keep Madhya Pradesh in the hunt for an outright win over Bengal in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group-C match at the Holkar Stadium here on Friday.
Beginning from 170 for five, Bengal aggregated 276 in its second innings and set Madhya Pradesh a target of 338.
The contest is evenly poised as the host, at 150 for three on day three, needs 188 runs while Bengal requires seven wickets to record victory on the final day.
Overnight batters Writtick Chatterjee and Wriddhiman Saha concentrated hard for a 67-run stand.
Writtick pulled Kumar Kartikeya to deep-square leg shortly after completing his half-century.
A patient Saha mostly scored through singles before being given out, caught at first slip off Kartikeya while trying a scoop, and walked back with disappointment.
Riding his luck, Mohammed Shami swung his arms to add 39 runs with his brother Kaif for the final wicket before becoming Kartikeya’s fourth victim. His cameo helped Bengal set a challenging target.
With the track becoming docile and some deliveries keeping low, Bengal bowlers had to work hard.
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The right-left opening combination of Senapati and Himanshu Mantri gave Madhya Pradesh a fine start.
Senapati, who survived two lbw appeals and got a ‘life’ on 14, played fluent drives on either side, while Mantri mostly rotated the strike and occasionally found a boundary.
Shami, bowling 11 overs in four spells at a good speed, tried different lengths and leaked runs.
Rohit Kumar provided the breakthrough as Mantri’s leading edge went to deep fine-leg.
Senapati gathered 41 with Rajat Patidar before being bowled by Shahbaz.
Shami removed night watchman Anubhav Agarwal cheaply, but captain Shubham Sharma and Patidar, who executed sweetly-timed shots, prevented further damage.
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