Opener Abhishek Raman scored an unbeaten 110 to steer Bengal to a respectable position against visiting Andhra, on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match at the Eden Gardens here on Wednesday. Bengal ended the day at 241 for four after Andhra captain Hanuma Vihari decided to field on a wicket with a fair amount of grass.
Raman showed the right temperament and technique against the opposition pacers to help the host innings to a stable position. Bengal lost its captain Abhimanyu Easwaran (6) in the 12th over, when he edged one to wicket-keeper K.S. Bharat off left-arm pacer C.V. Stephen. Seeing his opening partner fall early, Raman put up a 66-run partnership with Koushik Ghosh (37) for the second wicket and saw through first session of uncertainty.
Ranji Trophy, Day 1: Key highlights
Ghosh fell a little after lunch but Raman continued the good work in company of his former captain Manoj Tiwary. The third wicket partnership fetched the host 87 runs, with Tiwary making the most of the stroke making. Tiwary, making 46 (78b, 4x6, 6x1), was unfortunate in not reaching his 36th first-class half-century as he fell to the Andhra left-arm pacer Prithvi Raj Yarra, who set up the former India batsman with a flurry of well directed short-pitched deliveries.
Raman, who got a reprieve at 93 when Bharat missed a stumping chance, and went on to score his fourth first-class century (in 230 balls, 4x12, 6x1) hitting a six off Andhra pacer K.V. Sasikanth and set Bengal on course for a big score.
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