Bengal tightened its grip on its Elite ‘C’ Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka on Friday, moving into a strong position on the penultimate day.
Bengal’s fast bowler Ishan Porel spearheaded the morning session, claiming three quick wickets to dismiss Karnataka for 221. With an 80-run first-innings lead, Bengal adopted a cautious approach in its second innings, reaching 127 for three. The visitor now holds an overall advantage of 207 runs, putting it in a favorable position to secure a victory on Saturday.
Resuming on 155 for five, Karnataka relied on overnight batters Abhinav Manohar and Shreyas Gopal to build a substantial partnership. However, their hopes were dashed when Porel dismissed Shreyas (28) caught behind in the fourth over of the day.
Shortly after, Karnataka suffered a major setback when Manohar was caught by wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. The umpire upheld the appeal for an inside edge, despite Manohar’s protestations. Young Hardik Raj (11) was also sent back after attempting a tight single, with substitute Pradipta Pramanik throwing down the stumps.
Vidyadhar Patil (33) and V. Koushik (11) provided some resistance, putting on 40 runs for the ninth wicket. Patil showcased his batting prowess, striking the ball cleanly and powerfully when deliveries were in his arc.
Karnataka’s hopes of closing the gap with Bengal’s total evaporated when fast bowler Suraj Sindhu uprooted Vidyadhar’s stumps.
Bengal’s openers, Shuvam Dey (30) and Sudip Chatterjee (48), blunted the new ball threat with grit and patience. By the time the duo was dismissed – both to thick edges – Karnataka had lost ground.
In the evening session, a Vidyadhar peach stunned first-innings centurion Anustup Majumdar. The Bengal skipper pressed forward to defend, but Vidyadhar snuck the ball between bat and pad to flatten the middle stump.
