Ranji Trophy: Baroda gains upper hand as bowlers destroy Bengal

Resuming on the overnight score of 222 for seven, Baroda added 47 runs in the first hour of action to give its bowlers a reasonable score to defend.

FILE PHOTO: Mukesh Kumar in action. | Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT

Baroda, buoyed by an incisive performance by its bowlers, made a strong comeback and reduced Bengal to 189 for nine after making a respectable 269 in its first innings on the second day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group ‘A’ match at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground in Kalyani on Wednesday.

Resuming on the overnight score of 222 for seven, Baroda added 47 runs in the first hour of action to give its bowlers a reasonable score to defend. Akash Deep (four for 71) and Mukesh Kumar (three for 56) were the notable performers with the ball for Bengal.

Pacers Sahejadkhan Pathan (four for 46) and Soyeb Sopariya (three for 43) ran through the Bengal batting line-up to put Baroda in a strong position at the end of the day. With one wicket remaining, Bengal trailed by 80 runs to almost cede the first-innings lead to Baroda. Seasoned Anustup Majumdar (90) held up the Bengal innings briefly and had a 72-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Abishek Porel (25) to give some respectability to the host’s score.