Akash Deep bags five as Bengal take total control

KOLKATA: Bengal took firm control of their Ranji Trophy Group 'A' match against Haryana by bowling the hosts out for 163 runs only at Lahli on Wednesday. The Bengal pacers responded well after their first innings folded up for 419 runs just before the lunch interval on Day 2. Enjoying a handsome 256-run lead, it remains to be seen whether Bengal will go for the kill on the third morning by imposing the follow-on or decide to enjoy some batting practice before asking the hosts to bat again.
Akash Deep did the maximum damage picking up five for 61 while Ishan Porel got two for 21. Mukesh Kumar and spinner Pradipta Pramanik ended with one wicket each. Although Haryana openers C K Bishnoi and Yuvraj Singh provided a steady start getting 42 runs for the opening wicket, it was Akash Deep who struck coming in as the first change bowler to seize the initiative.
The pacer had Yuvraj caught by Suvankar Bal and then dismissed Ankit Kumar and Bishnoi in his very next over. Soon after he claimed Nishant Sindhu caught behind by Abhishek Porel as Haryana went to tea reeling at 69 for four. The Bengal pacers continued their good work with Porel and Mukesh too joining the party in the last session of play as the Haryana innings lasted 52 overs only. Things could have been worse had not Sumit Kumar played a lone hand staying undefeated on 70 and stitched together a 69-run last-wicket stand with Aman Kumar.
Earlier, Bengal's crisis-man Anushtup Majumder departed for a superb 145 and the Bengal tail of Mukesh, Ishan and Akash added 69 runs in the last two wickets.
Brief scores: Bengal 419 in 113.4 overs (Anustup Majumdar 145, Abhimanyu Easwaran 57, Abhishek Porel 49; Harshal Patel 4/80, Ajit Chahal 3/76, Sumit Kumar 2/85) Haryana 163 in 52 overs (Sumit Kumar 70 not out; Akash Deep 5/61, Ishan Porel 2/29). Haryana trail by 256 runs.