KOLKATA: Bengal bowlers put up a disciplined show to pick up the last six Uttar Pradesh second innings wickets in the first session of play on Day 3 of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group 'A' match to wrap up the visitors' second innings for 227 at lunch.
Chasing 257 runs for victory in the remaining five sessions of play, the Bengal batters responded well to take the side on the brink of a possible victory finishing the day at 156 for two, needing 101 more runs.
The way opener Koushik Ghosh and Anustup Majumdar played out the last session of play, coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla should have a good night's sleep hoping to make his debut as Bengal Ranji coach on a winning note. The 95-run unbroken third-wicket stand between Ghosh and Majumder put Bengal on the winning path after recovering from losing two quick wickets.
Majumder played some beautiful front foot drives while Ghosh too got going after failing to open accounts in the first innings.
Former India Under-19 pacer Shivam Mavi, who claimed six wickets in the first innings, once again shook the Bengal innings getting rid of opener Abhishek Das and Sudip Kumar Gharami, both caught by Priyam Garg at first slip.
But Ghosh in spite of looking a bit tentative in the initial stage of the innings, settled down well and grew in confidence with his senior partner Majumder guided him well.
At stumps, Ghosh was batting on 69 while Majumder was on 44.
Earlier, UP began on a positive note with overnight unbeaten batters Akshdeep Nath and Rinku Singh looking to extend the lead. Akash Deep finally broke the 102-run fifth-wicket stand dismissing Nath for 53.
Rinku then played a lone hand trying to get some quick runs with the tail and UP's challenge fizzled out when the Kolkata Knight Riders' player departed after playing 113 balls and hitting 12 fours for 89.
Akash Deep put up a much improved show in the second innings to end up as the most successful Bengal bowler with three for 52 while all the other pacers - Ishan Porel, Pritam Chakraborty and Sayan Sekhar Mondal picked up two wickets each.
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