Pradipta Pramanik claimed seven wickets as Bengal pushed for a big win against Kerala on Wednesday in the Ranji Trophy. The spinners dominated the day at the KCA stadium in Mangalapuram. Kerala struggled at 53 for four while chasing a target of 408, leaving them staring at certain defeat.
Bengal's Pradipta Pramanik claimed seven of the eight Kerala wickets to fall across two innings on day three.
The pitch revealed its true character on the third day, showing a distinct inclination to spinners. The tweakers accounted for 16 of the 18 wickets that fell on the penultimate day and it left Kerala staring at defeat. The home side was tottering at 53 for four, after Bengal set it a massive target of 408 in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match at the KCA stadium, Mangalapuram on Wednesday.
Captain Vishnu Vinod (batting 19) and Salman Nizar (batting 0) were at the crease after left-arm spinner Pradipta Pramanik (four for 21) wiped out the cream of Kerala's top order on a spicy track.
Earlier in the morning, Bengal needed just 16.3 overs to wrap up the Kerala first innings for 141. Pramanik (four for 44), once again, was the wrecker-in-chief, claiming three of the four wickets that fell in the first session.
Bengal, however, didn't enforce the follow on, sacrificing a potential bonus point, to avoid batting on what could be a treacherous fourth day pitch. But given the ineptness with which the Kerala batters handled the Bengal bowlers, the notion that the host could have set a fourth innings target for the visitor was far-fetched.
Ranji Trophy Round 3, Day 3 - As it happened
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In the second innings, Bengal batters showed clear intent, taking calculated risks to score runs at a brisk pace. Although Bengal lost wickets at regular intervals while playing the high risk game, it was irrelevant as every scoring shot pushed the match out of Kerala's reach.
Captain Abhimanyu Easwaran (47) epitomised Bengal's purpose early on, hitting a flurry of boundaries from M.D. Nidheesh and Aditya Saravte. Easwaran and Sudip Chatterjee continued to attack the spinners in the post lunch session before Jalaj Saxena struck by removing the former.
Jalaj found his rhythm to pick up five wickets to stem the flow of runs but Shami clubbed three sixes in quickfire cameo of 26 to extend the lead beyond 400.
The scores Bengal - 1st innings: 350 Kerala - 1st innings: Abhishek P. Nair b Mohammed Shami 4, Abhishek J. Nair b Pramanik 12, Sachin Baby c Gharami b Shahbaz 23, Vishnu Vinod b Mohammed Shami 41, Salman Nizar c Porel b Shami 11, Mohammed Azharuddeen not out 30, Aditya Saravate c Easwaran b Shahbaz 0, Jalaj Saxena c Gharmi b Pramanik 6, Vaisakh Chandran b Pramanik 5, M.D. Nidheesh lbw Pramanik 0, N.P. Basil run out 0; Extras (b-1, 1b-8):9; Total (in 51.3 overs): 141 Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-26, 3-54, 4-95, 5-99, 6-97. 7-121, 8-135, 9-135 Bengal bowling: Shami 11-2-35-3 Kaif 7-1-20-0, Pramanik 16.3-6-44-4, Shahbaz 15-1-22-2, Gani 2-1-11-0 Bengal - 2nd innings: Abhimanyu Easwaran c sub Nayanar Saxena 47, Ankur Paul b Basil 12, Sudip Gharami c Nizar b Saxena 12, Sudip Chatterjee b Saxena 34, Abishek Porel c Vishnu b Sarvate 21, Shahbaz Ahmed c Abhishek P b Sarvate 20, Sumanta Gupta c sub Nayanar b Saxena 6, Aamir Gani c Nizar b Sarvate 7, Pradipta Pramanik not out 13, Mohammed Shami c Azharuddeen b Basil 26, Suraj Jaiswal (concussion sub for Mohammed Kaif) c Basil b Saxena 0; Total (in 46 overs)
198 Fall of wickets: 1-46, 2-63, 3-91, 4-106, 5-140, 6-140, 7-158, 8-159, 9-197 Kerala bowling: Sarvate 18-2-72-3, Nidheesh 5-0-22-0, Jalaj 18-1-70-5, Basil 4-0-25-2, Vishnu 1-0-9-0 Kerala - 2nd innings: Abhishek J. Nair lbw Pramanik 0, Jalaj Saxena c Chatterjee b Pramanik 18, Abhishek P. Nair b Pramanik 0, Sachin Baby st Porel b Pramanik 10, Vishnu Vinod (batting) 19, Salman Nizar (batting) 0; Extras (b-5, lb-1): 6; Total (for four wkts in 20 overs): 53 Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-15, 3-30, 4-51 Bengal bowling: Shami 5-2-14-0, Pramanik 10-2-21-4; Shahbaz 5-0-12-0 The scores Bengal - 1st innings: 350 Kerala - 1st innings: Abhishek P.
Nair b Mohammed Shami 4, Abhishek J. Nair b Pramanik 12, Sachin Baby c Gharami b Shahbaz 23, Vishnu Vinod b Mohammed Shami 41, Salman Nizar c Porel b Shami 11, Mohammed Azharuddeen not out 30, Aditya Saravate c Easwaran b Shahbaz 0, Jalaj Saxena c Gharmi b Pramanik 6, Vaisakh Chandran b Pramanik 5, M.D. Nidheesh lbw Pramanik 0, N.P. Basil run out 0; Extras (b-1, 1b-8):9; Total (in 51.3 overs): 141 Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-26, 3-54, 4-95, 5-99, 6-97. 7-121, 8-135, 9-135 Bengal bowling: Shami 11-2-35-3 Kaif 7-1-20-0, Pramanik 16.3-6-44-4, Shahbaz 15-1-22-2, Gani 2-1-11-0 Bengal - 2nd innings: Abhimanyu Easwaran c sub Nayanar Saxena 47, Ankur Paul b Basil 12, Sudip Gharami c Nizar b Saxena 12, Sudip Chatterjee b Saxena 34, Abishek Porel c Vishnu b Sarvate 21, Shahbaz Ahmed c Abhishek P b Sarvate 20, Sumanta Gupta c sub Nayanar b Saxena 6, Aamir Gani c Nizar b Sarvate 7, Pradipta Pramanik not out 13, Mohammed Shami c Azharuddeen b Basil 26, Suraj Jaiswal (concussion sub for Mohammed Kaif) c Basil b Saxena 0; Total (in 46 overs)
198 Fall of wickets: 1-46, 2-63, 3-91, 4-106, 5-140, 6-140, 7-158, 8-159, 9-197 Kerala bowling: Sarvate 18-2-72-3, Nidheesh 5-0-22-0, Jalaj 18-1-70-5, Basil 4-0-25-2, Vishnu 1-0-9-0 Kerala - 2nd innings: Abhishek J. Nair lbw Pramanik 0, Jalaj Saxena c Chatterjee b Pramanik 18, Abhishek P. Nair b Pramanik 0, Sachin Baby st Porel b Pramanik 10, Vishnu Vinod (batting) 19, Salman Nizar (batting) 0; Extras (b-5, lb-1): 6; Total (for four wkts in 20 overs): 53 Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-15, 3-30, 4-51 Bengal bowling: Shami 5-2-14-0, Pramanik 10-2-21-4; Shahbaz 5-0-12-0