Bengal’s Sudip Kumar Gharami bought up his century with a stylish sweep.
| Photo Credit: File photo: PTI
Having ended the second day of its Ranji Trophy Elite Group C fixture against Tripura at 336 for nine, Bengal is seemingly in the catbird seat.
Although eventually it may not be enough to get Manisankar Murasingh and Co. all out twice in two days, the visitor will hope to at least secure three points (draw with first-innings lead) from the ongoing third-round contest at the Maharaja Bir Bikram Stadium here.
After an entire session was lost on Sunday in trying to do away with wet patches on the outfield caused by overnight showers, Shakir Habib Gandhi fell five short of what would have been his maiden First-Class century.
The heartbreak could be felt across the media tribune, with a scribe even deciding to blame himself for having moved from his seat seconds before the fated delivery from Murasingh.
Even as Anustup Majumdar’s blockfest lasted only 26 deliveries, Sudip Kumar Gharami’s patience bore fruit as he notched his sixth First Class hundred with a stylish sweep to the fence. When his innings was finally cut short in the 87th over by Rana Datta, it seemed the Tripura lads rediscovered their lost voices in a trice.
It may have played a part in Rana returning, all pumped up in his next over, to send Sumanta Gupta’s stumps cartwheeling.
In the last session, Bengal’s stand-in captain Abishek Porel nicked one to the ‘keeper. Or so it seemed until he animatedly gestured in frustration while walking back, suggesting there may not have been any bat involved.
Debutant Rahul Prasad added valuable runs before being cleaned up by Swapnil Singh. It looked like Shahbaz Ahmed, unbeaten, would run out of partners before stumps, but bad light may have allowed Bengal a chance to play it by the ear on Monday.
The scores: Bengal — 1st innings: Sudip Kumar Gharami c Sentu b Rana 108, Kazi Junaid Saifi c Sentu b Abhijit 0, Shakir Habib Gandhi c sub (Rajat) b Murasingh 95, Anustup Majumdar c Sentu b Murasingh 6, Abishek Porel c Sentu b Rana 11, Sumanta Gupta b Rana 5, Shahbaz Ahmed (batting) 40, Rahul Prasad b Swapnil 35, Mohammad Kaif b Bikramkumar 0, Mohammed Shami c & b Bikramkumar 5, Ishan Porel (batting) 0; Extras (b-20, lb-10, w-1): 31; Total (for nine wkts. in 115 overs): 336.
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-213, 3-237, 4-249, 5-255, 6-262, 7-323, 8-326, 9-336.
Tripura bowling: Murasingh 27-7-56-2, Abhijit 22-3-64-1, Rana 23-5-76-3, Bikramjit 11-2-24-0, Swapnil 18-1-51-1, Vijay 6-2-9-0, Sridam 2-0-10-0, Bikram 6-0-16-2.
Published – November 02, 2025 07:08 pm IST
