Porel's 5-wkt haul gives Bengal the edge

KOLKATA: Sunday ended the way it had started. Anushtup Majumdar had walked in unbeaten on 120. At stumps, he was walking out unbeaten on one. In between, 15 wickets tumbled on the second day of the Ranji Trophy semifinal match between Bengal and Karnataka at the Eden Gardens here on Sunday.
Ishan Porel, Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep showed why Bengal coach Arun Lal puts so much faith on them.The pace trio bowled out Karnataka for a paltry 122 as their famed batting could not last for even two sessions, folding up in 36.2 overs, thereby giving Bengal a handsome 190-run lead. Karnataka fought back in the second essay, reducing Bengal to 72 for four, but continue to stare at the possibility of missing out on a final berth for the third consecutive time.
Sunday's show was perhaps Karnataka's worst this season and would be hurting them more, since they played an extra batsman with the return of KL Rahul, who opened on Sunday.
Ishan Porel got into the act right away after Bengal collected 37 runs in 10 overs to end their first innings at 312. The pacer sent back R Samarth with the fourth ball of the innings. The former India U-19 World Cup winning pacer struck with the first delivery of his next over when Karnataka skipper Karun Nair was caught at first slip.
Porel, who claimed his third five-wicket haul in first-class cricket, rated Sunday's show as his best. "I will rate this ahead of others," he said. "A five-wicket haul in the Ranji semifinal against an opponent like Karnataka is always special."