press trust of india
NEW DELHI, 30 NOV: Bengal bowlers toiled hard to restrict Services to 261 for six, giving themselves a good chance to grab first innings lead on the third day of the Ranji Trophy group B encounter on Saturday. With Services needing another 171 runs to get first innings lead, Bengal have a slight edge as they have to run into the home team’s tail at the Airforce Ground in Palam.
For Services, a 131-run partnership between Vishnu Tiwary (71) and Soumya Ranjan Swain (56 batting) in 39.4 overs did raise visions of a splendid fightback but Bengal’s ‘Go-To Man’ in this match Sourashis Lahiri dismissed Tiwary at the end of the day to get the initiative back. Ashoke Dinda (3/75 in 25 overs) was the most successful bowler but Lahiri (2/62 in 19 overs) made the most impact as he removed Tiwary and Yashpal Singh (11) with couple of good deliveries.
While Tiwary was adjudged leg before as he tried to sweep, Yashpal was out when Wriddhiman Saha effected a brilliant stumping. Lahiri had tossed one up and Yashpal went for a drive and in the process lost his balance.
Saha whipped the bails in a flash and third umpire gave the batsman out. The morning session belonged to Bengal as they removed the top order quickly once the opening partnership produced 65 runs. Anshul Gupta was the first to get out as he couldn’t flash hard at a Dinda bouncer and the ball ballooned to gully where Anshutup Majumdar took the catch low down.
Gupta made 22 with three fours. His partner Pratik Desai was more aggressive as he took on Dinda pulling him for a boundary. A thick outside edge that flew past slip brought his 50 off 64 balls.
Immediately in the next ball Dinda again bowled a bouncer which Desai played an ugly pull shot which was caught by Shib Shankar Paul at short fine leg. Desai’s 52 had eight boundaries.
Other scores:  Andhra 317 & 27/1 v Maharashtra 440; Baroda 152 & 244 v M. Pradesh 60 & 90, Baroda won by 246 runs; Goa 252 & 177 v Tripura 174 & 72/2,  Haryana 163 & 155 v Punjab 184 & 135/7, Punjab won by 3 wickets, Assam 81 & 161 v H. Pradesh 463/9d, H Pradesh won by an innings and 221 runs,  J + K 377 & 111/1 v Kerala 302,  Jharkhand 289 & 28/0 v Gujarat 352/9d,  Mumbai 261 & 381/4d v Vidarbha 113 & 177/8,  Odisha 226 & 169/4 v Karnataka 379. U Pradesh 226 & 319/5d v Rajasthan 185 & 15/0, T Nadu 565/8d v Saurashtra 326/3.