KOLKATA: It's turning out to be a contest between Delhi and Ashok Dinda.
On a placid track and against an ordinary attack, Bengal were bowled out for 220 runs, thereby conceding a 20-run first-innings lead in the
Ranji Trophy Elite Group B tie at Eden Gardens on Monday.
Dinda, who bagged four wickets in the first innings, struck twice in the final session on Day 2 as Delhi reached 41 for 2 for an overall lead of 61 runs with two days left.
It was a disappointing way to end the year as Bengal batsmen continued to repeat their mistakes, thereby ruining all the good work done by their bowlers on Sunday.
Bengal lost opener Abhishek Raman in the eighth over of the morning when the left-hander edged left-arm pacer Kulwant Khejrolia to wicketkeeper Anuj Rawat. Sudip Chatterjee was lucky to survive in the next over as an edge was picked on the bounce by Hiten Dalal at second slip. Strangely, the third umpire pressed the wrong button after television review, but the on-field umpires overturned that decision.
Abhimanyu Easwaran perished for 40 just when he was opening up, edging off-spinner Shivank Vashisth to the 'keeper while trying to play late.