Bengal’s Mohammed Shami in action against Madhya Pradesh during their Ranji Trophy encounter at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, in Indore.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Mohammed Shami showed glimpses of his old touch as he led Bengal’s fight with a four-wicket haul in its Ranji Trophy Elite Group-C match against Madhya Pradesh at the Holkar Stadium here on Thursday.
Resuming from 103 for one, the host was all out for 167 in its first innings. Bengal put up 170 for five in its second essay to inflate its overall lead to a healthy 231 runs at the end of day two.
Bengal’s bowlers showed more discipline and captured nine Madhya Pradesh wickets in the first session for a crucial 61-run first innings lead. Suraj Jaiswal got rid of both overnight batters, Rajat Patidar and Subhransu Senapati, in the third and fifth overs of the morning.
Displaying better rhythm and energy, comeback man Shami, who bowled 10 overs overnight, tasted success in his 15th over when home skipper Shubham Sharma inside-edged one on to the stumps.
After bowling a six-over spell, Shami polished the ball for fellow younger pacers, including his brother Kaif (as the siblings featured in a First Class match together for the first time) and debutant Rohit Kumar, and guided them to make further inroads with the older ball.
Prior to lunch, a determined Shami ran in fast and bowled on target to capture three more wickets in three overs at the expense of only one run. Bowling round the wicket, he castled the southpaw Saransh Jain before dismissing Kumar Kartikeya Singh and Kulwant Khejroliya off consecutive deliveries.
Bengal widened its lead as Sudip Gharami (40, 66b, 6×4, 1×6), who played some fine shots on both sides, and Sudip Chatterjee (40, 58b, 3×4) added 49 runs.
Writtick Chatterjee (33 batting, 71b, 4×4), who was adjudged lbw off a no-ball on 19, and Wriddhiman Saha (21 batting, 32b, 3×4) held fort even as the hard-working Anubhav Agarwal took three important wickets.
The scores: Bengal — 1st innings: 228.
Madhya Pradesh — 1st innings: Subhransu Senapati c Saha b Jaiswal 47, Himanshu Mantri lbw b Kaif 13, Rajat Patidar c Saha b Jaiswal 41, Shubham Sharma b Shami 8, Harpreet Singh Bhatia c Writtick b Rohit 18, Aryan Pandey run out 12, Venkatesh Iyer c Saha b Kaif 3, Saransh Jain b Shami 7, Kumar Kartikeya Singh c Saha b Shami 9, Anubhav Agarwal (not out) 1, Kulwant Khejroliya b Shami 0; Extras (b-1, lb-4, nb-2, w-1): 8; Total (in 59 overs): 167.
Fall of wickets: 1-51, 2-106, 3-109, 4-123, 5-145, 6-150, 7-150, 8-164, 9-167.
Bengal bowling: Shami 19-4-54-4, Jaiswal 14-2-35-2, Kaif 13-0-41-2, Rohit 12-2-27-1, Shahbaz 1-0-5-0.
Bengal — 2nd innings: Shuvam Dey c Kartikeya b Aryan 4, Sudip Gharami st Mantri b Kartikeya 40, Sudip Chatterjee b Anubhav 40, Anustup Majumdar lbw b Anubhav 19, Writtick Chatterjee (batting) 33, Shahbaz Ahmed c Mantri b Anubhav 3, Wriddhiman Saha (batting) 21; Extras (b-4, lb-5, nb-1): 10; Total (for five wkts. in 48 overs): 170.
Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-63, 3-99, 4-124, 5-133.
Madhya Pradesh bowling: Aryan 9-1-25-1, Anubhav 15-2-49-3, Khejroliya 8-3-23-0, Kartikeya 14-1-54-1, Saransh 2-0-10-0.
Published – November 14, 2024 06:41 pm IST