Ranji Trophy: Anustup bails Bengal out into position of power against Odisha

Majumder, who last scored a hundred in the 2017-18 season, bailed Bengal out from 46 for five and helped close out the opening day at 308 for six.

Anustup Majumder celebrates scoring his hundred against Odisha.

Experienced hand Anustup Majumder hit a magnificent century to fashion Bengal’s astonishing recovery in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal match against Odisha at the DRIEMS ground here on Thursday.

Majumder – who last scored a hundred in Bengal's previous quarterfinal clash against Gujarat in 2017-18 – played the role of a rescuer for the third time this season. He bailed Bengal out from a precarious 46 for five and helped it close out the opening day impressively at 308 for six.

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This was the worst start for Bengal in a season replete with miraculous recoveries.

On a familiar surface, the Odisha medium pacers extracted good movement early in the morning. Bengal skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran, asked to bat, nicked Suryakant Pradhan down the leg in the sixth over.

It triggered a mini-collapse as half of the team was out in a little over an hour.

Koushik Ghosh edged one to the slips, Abhishek Raman was out leg before, Arnab Nandi – who fell in debutant seamer Preet Chohan’s first over – was held in the slips and Manoj Tiwary got a beauty.

However, the dependable duo of Majumder and Shreevats Goswami showed a lot of character and let the pitch ease out.

Prior to the lunch, Majumder cracked three crispy boundaries off Basant. After the break, he drove, pulled and cut with more confidence.

Majumder (136 batting, 194b, 20x4) was involved in two crucial partnerships of 95 and an unbroken 167 with Shreevats Goswami (34, 75b, 5x4) and Shahbaz Ahmed (82 batting, 154b, 13x4), respectively.

Goswami, dropped on 15, played some wristy shots before being caught behind off his hips in the post-lunch session.

Majumder, who stood outside the crease to negate the movement, and an in-form Shahbaz played strokes all around the park to frustrate Odisha, whose field placements defied logic.

It was a satisfying performance for the 35-year-old, who had thrown away his wicket on 99 against Delhi. “I am used to such situations now. Good to get some support,” said Majumder.

The scores Koushik Ghosh c Poddar b Basant 9, Abhimanyu Easwaran c Dhuper b Suryakant 7, Abhishek Raman lbw b Suryakant 1, Arnab Nandi c Shantanu b Chohan 24, Manoj Tiwary lbw b Debabrata 4, Anustup Majumder (batting) 136, Shreevats Goswami c Dhuper b Chohan 34, Shahbaz Ahmed (batting) 82, Extras (lb-7, nb-2, w-2) 11, Total (for six wickets in 86 overs) 308 Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-17, 3-25, 4-46, 5-46, 6-141 Odisha bowling: Basant 20-6-48-1, Suryakant 22-4-96-2, Chohan 15-3-52-2, Debabrata 14-0-54-1, Poddar 10-0-36-0, Shantanu 5-0-15-0.