Unadkat, Sakariya run through Bengal

KOLKATA: Bengal’s hopes of winning a Ranji Trophy after more than three decades were dashed as the left-arm Saurashtra pace duo of Jaydev Unadkat (3/44) and Chetan Sakariya (3/33) rattled the ‘home’ team’s top-order to bundle it out for a paltry 174 on the opening day of the summit clash here on Thursday.

It would have been more embarrassing for Bengal at Eden Gardens, if not for the gritty half-centuries from Shahbaz Ahmed (69 off 112 balls, 11 fours) and Abhishek Porel (50 off 98 balls, 8 fours). The duo showed the way for the top-order in a 101-run stand for the seventh wicket and batted close to four hours to frustrate Saurashtra.

At close of play, Saurashtra was 81 for two, trailing Bengal by 93 runs. In-form opener Harvik Desai (38 batting off 51 balls, 6 fours, 1 six) was at the crease along with nightwatchman Sakariya (2 batting). With its leading run-getter of the season Aprit Vasavada (826 runs at an average of 75.06), Sheldon Jackson and Chirag Jani yet to bat, Saurashtra will fancy a first-innings lead on the second day.

Making a comeback after being released from the India Test squad, Unadkat produced a terrific opening spell of 5-2-7-2. Sakariya also made the ball talk initially to reduce Bengal to 17 for four in the first 30 minutes. Bengal lost half of its team at the score of 34, with third pacer Jani (2/33) also making good use of the lively Eden surface.

Abhimanyu Easwaran showed lack of application and fell for a duck, becoming Unadkat’s victim in the fifth ball of the day. Sumanta Gupta (1), making his debut, could not handle the early pressure, succumbing to a peach of a delivery from Sakariya. Sakariya was on a roll as he cleaned up Sudip Gharami’s (0) off-stump a little later.

Skipper Manoj Tiwary (7) became Unadkat’s second victim when he poked at a wide delivery to edge one to Vishvaraj Jadeja at gully. All eyes were on another veteran Anustup Majumdar, Bengal’s leading run-getter this season, to revive the innings.

Majumdar built a mini partnership with all-rounder Akash Ghatak, who replaced Pradipta Pramanik in the playing eleven and was promoted to No.6. But, he played a freak shot against Jani to fall for 17 at the stroke of drinks in the first session.