Mumbai v Bengal, Ranji Trophy final, Mumbai, 3rd day

Bengal face uphill task chasing 472

The Bulletin by Anand Vasu in Mumbai

February 4, 2007

Bengal 143 and 98 for 2 (Dasgupta 43*) need 374 more runs to beat Mumbai 320 and 294 (Jaffer 53, Sharma 57, Bose 5-71)
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Ranadeb Bose was the pick of the Bengal bowlers with 5 for 71 as he took his season's tally to 57 wickets © Cricinfo Ltd

Even though they had their work cut out chasing a huge 472 Bengal batted with purpose and determination, reaching 98 for 2 at stumps on the third day of the Ranji Trophy final. After Mumbai scored 294 in their second innings they left themselves with two days and a session to take ten Bengal wickets, but they found the going tough. Deep Dasgupta led the resistance as Bengal put their timid first innings effort firmly behind.

On a pitch that began to turn appreciably, Mumbai looked for initial breakthroughs from their star duo of Ajit Agarkar and Zaheer Khan, but neither could replicate the penetrative bowling of the first innings. It was only when Amol Muzumdar brought about the first change, bringing Wilkin Mota into the attack, that the first breach was made. Arindam Das, who had seen off 44 balls for 10, chased a wide delivery and the edge flew thick and fast to Wasim Jaffer in the slips cordon. Jaffer reacted sharply, snapping up the difficult offering and Bengal were 39 for 1.

Then Dasgupta and Abhishek Jhunjhunwala continued the resistance, seeing off Mota and Agarkar's second spell. Dasgupta was in especially god touch, picking boundaries off Agarkar with ease. Once again it was a change in the bowling that brought rewards, as Ramesh Powar floated one in to Jhunjhunwala and won the appeal for lbw. Replays suggested that there might have been a bit of bat involved, but the umpire ruled in the favour of the bowler, leaving Bengal at 65 for 2.

From there on, though, there was no success for Mumbai as Dasgupta, who batted almost three hours for his 43, and Manoj Tiwary, took Bengal to 98 for 2 at stumps. The target of 472 is miles away, with 374 still needed, but the fight Bengal showed augurs well. With two days to go in the game, Powar could well play a big role, being the lone spinner in the attack.

'In the first innings he had stamped his authority on the game in dramatic fashion, but in the second dig Sachin Tendulkar was decidedly less assured' © Getty Images

When it was Bengal's turn to bowl, earlier in the day, it was once again Ranadeb Bose who did the job, picking up 5 for 71 as he took his season's tally to 57 wickets. A decent Sunday crowd - probably the best of the game - gathered at the Wankhede Stadium when the day began, in anticipation of Tendulkar's arrival at the crease. They did not have to wait all that long, for Jaffer popped a return catch to Ranadeb Bose early in the day. Jaffer had made 53.

A huge roar greeted Tendulkar as he walked out to the middle, but he was definitely not at his best. In the first innings he had stamped his authority on the game in dramatic fashion, but in the second dig he was decidedly less assured. More than once he was surprised by a bit of extra pace or bounce and took blows on the body, most noticeably when he was late on a pull shot against Ashok Dinda and was struck flush on the helmet. Saurav Sarkar even managed to draw out an error when Tendulkar hit one uppishly back at the bowler, but Sarkar juggled the offering and could not latch on to it.

Still, interspersed between some less than perfect shots, were the gems. The whip through the on side consistently beat the field, and back-foot punches through cover sped away with ease. In the end, it was a change in the bowling that brought relief for Bengal. Dinda, who had bowled a long spell, gave way to Sourashish Lahiri, and Tendulkar took a bit of a chance, attempting to hit a short ball wide of the man at cover, but only managed to find Tiwary. It wasn't the best ball of the day, but Lahiri had Tendulkar's wicket for the second time in the game, this time for only 43 runs.

Muzumdar and Abhishek Nair ensured that there was no further damage, and took Mumbai to lunch on 220 for 5. The post-lunch session proved to be more entertaining than the first, with Nair batting more freely as the lead burgeoned past 400. He struck five boundaries and a six in his 34, while Muzumdar was more conventional, getting to 37. But the man to watch was Ranadeb Bose, who bowled with impressive stamina and purpose even with his team's chances fast fading as Mumbai ended on 294. Bengal have begun well but it will be uphill all along as they battle a mammoth total.

Anand Vasu is assistant editor of Cricinfo

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