Maharashtra Takes Control Against Bengal at Eden Gardens
Maharashtra leads Bengal 76/4 in the Ranji Trophy clash as rain disrupts play.
Maharashtra reduced Bengal to 76/4 in their second innings.
Only 27.5 overs were bowled on Day III due to rain interruptions.
Maharashtra aims for an outright win to tie with Bengal at the top of the group.
In a challenging Ranji Trophy Elite Group 'C' match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, Maharashtra has gained a significant advantage over Bengal, reducing them to 76/4 in their second innings. As of the end of Day III, Bengal is just one run ahead of Maharashtra's first-innings score of 218, with play heavily impacted by rain, resulting in only 27.5 overs being bowled throughout the day.
Maharashtra's first innings concluded with a total of 218, leading by 75 runs after they added 11 runs to their overnight score of 207/9. Pradeep Dadhe was dismissed for 27 runs early in the morning session, while Tanay Sanghvi remained not out on 60 from 179 balls, contributing significantly to Maharashtra's total. Bengal's Mohammed Shami was the standout bowler, claiming 4 wickets for 37 runs, supported by Shahbaz Ahmed with 3 for 39.
Bengal's second innings mirrored their struggles from the first, with captain Abhimanyu Easwaran being dismissed early, caught by wicketkeeper Saurabh Nawale off Dadhe's bowling. The situation worsened for Bengal as Sanghvi took two wickets in quick succession, leaving them at 25/3 within just five overs. Sudip Gharami and Sudip Chatterjee were both dismissed cheaply, adding to Bengal's woes.
Despite a brief resistance from Ankur Paul and Abishek Porel, who managed a 49-run partnership for the fourth wicket, the pressure from Maharashtra's aggressive fielding strategy proved effective. Paul was eventually caught off Hitesh Walunj's bowling, further deepening Bengal's troubles. The match was interrupted again due to bad light, leaving the outcome uncertain as the teams headed into tea.
An outright victory for Maharashtra would elevate them to 18 points, matching Bengal at the top of the group standings. Conversely, Bengal aims to salvage the match and secure at least one point to maintain their lead. The final day promises to be crucial as both teams vie for a decisive outcome in this tightly contested encounter.
