KALYANI: Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla exuded quiet confidence at the end of Day Three on Tuesday, when Delhi needed 88 runs more with seven wickets in hand to make the hosts bat again, with the hope of preventing them from recording an outright win.
The bowlers did live up to the challenge as Bengal made a winning start to their Ranji campaign, beating Delhi by nine wickets in their Elite Group ‘C’ clash at the Bengal Cricket Academy (BCA) ground here on Wednesday.
While Bengal ended with six points, Delhi have plenty to ponder as they returned empty-handed. However, the hosts were guilty of missing out on bagging maximum points (7), as they lost opener Ankur Paul caught by Dev Lakra off Hrithik Shokeen while going for a big shot in the 89-run victory chase.
On a day when seven wickets fell to spin, it was the lesser known Sumanta Gupta who made the difference.
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Delhi made a good start on the last day with Ayush Badoni and Anuj Rawat managing to see off the tricky first hour. Bengal tasted first blood when Rawat was clean bowled attempting a rather unnecessary reverse sweep off Aamir Gani to be clean bowled.
But, Yash Dhull, who retired hurt last evening, came out to give his skipper good support as the duo started to rebuild the innings.
Easwaran then threw the ball to Gupta for the last over before lunch and the part-time off-spinner provided the much-needed breakthrough with his second delivery of the match. Dhull stretched forward as the ball bounced up hitting the pad and then kissed his gloves to land into the safe hands of wicketkeeper Abishek Porel.
The opener felt not allowing the Delhi batters to score freely kept Bengal in the match.
Delhi suffered the greatest jolt when left-arm spinner Pradipta Pramanik got in-form Badoni (85) caught at first slip by Easwaran.
Like the first innings, the Delhi tail did put up some resistance before folding up for 277 in the extended second session before the tea interval.
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Both Easwaran and Paul ensured smooth going. After Paul’s departure for 38, Easwaran (34*) and Sudip Gharami (16*) took the side home in 15.3 overs.