NEW DELHI, Feb 6: It took an inspired third spell from Robin Singh in the post-tea session to separate the Bengal opening partnership of 173 (264m, 60.4 overs) between Ajay Verma (75: 8x4, 1x6, 264m, 217b) and Alokendu Lahiri (87: 10x4, 275m, 166b). In fact, in the space of eight balls, the Delhi medium-pacer sent back both the openers to give some relief to the home team which had been at the receiving end till the fall of those two wickets on the second day of the Group B Ranji Trophy super league match at the Kotla, here, today.In the morning, Saurav Ganguly put a quick end to the Delhi first innings -- resuming at 263 for six -- with his best Ranji effort of six for 87. Bengal needed a mere 72 minutes and 14.1 overs to cut the home team's remaining four wickets, with Ganguly adding three to his three of the first day, for an additional cost of just 10 runs in 25 deliveries.
Delhi's resistance depended on the resistance of Nikhil Chopra (53 overnight). But he did not get the support from thetail-enders and was dismissed last, for 84 (13 fours, 213 m, 158 b).
With the pitch playing true, it required some accurate and penetrative bowling on the part of Delhi to make early inroads into the Bengal batting line-up. Unfortunately, none of them bowled to a plan and the Bengal openers made the best of the ordinary attack. Ajay Verma had a slice of luck at 55 when Manhas at long-leg failed to latch on to a skier off Bhandari.
With just 100 runs behind Delhi's first innings total and the `star of the show' Saurav Ganguly yet to take stance, Bengal look destined to dictate terms.
SCOREBOARD
Delhi (1st innings): Vijay Dahiya b Chatterjee 16, Raman Lamba lbw Arindam Sarkar 8, Aakash Chopra b Chatterjee 22, Ajay Sharma c Karim b Ganguly 101, Akash Malhotra c Chatterjee b Ganguly 38, Mithun Manhas lbw Ganguly 0, Nikhil Chopra c Banerjee b Ganguly 84, Rahul Sanghvi c Ganguly b Banerjee 11, Amit Bhandari lbw Ganguly 0, Robin Singh c Karim b Ganguly 1, Ashish Nehra not out 0, Extras (b 6, lb8, nb 5): 19. Total: 300.
Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-45, 3-71, 4-152, 5-160, 6-245, 7-276, 8-281, 9-299
Bowling: Banerjee 20-7-70-1, Sarkar 15-5-40-1, Ganguly 28.1-4-87-6, Chatterjee 32-9-62-2, Shiv Sagar Singh 8-2-29-0, Das 1-1-0-0
Bengal (1st innings): Ajay Verma lbw Robin Singh 75, Alokendu Lahiri c & b Robin Singh 87, Devang Gandhi batting 15, Saba Karim batting 4, Extras (b 6, lb 5, w 1, nb 7): 19. Total (for 2 wkts): 200.
Fall of wickets: 1-173, 2-180
Bowling: Robin Singh 11-3-32-2, Nehra 9-0-26-0, Bhandari 12-3-39-0, Sanghvi 13-4-20-0, Chopra 20-1-58-0, Ajay Sharma 7-2-11-0, Manhas 1-0-3-0
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
