Ranji Trophy: Bengal make a winning start

KOLKATA: Bengal staged a great comeback to make a winning start to their Ranji Trophy campaign by beating Uttar Pradesh by six wickets in their Elite Group 'A' match at the Eden Gardens here on Friday. The hosts had the last laugh in spite of the visitors having their nose ahead in the first two days of play and even gaining a vital 29-run first-innings lead too.
Needing 101 runs for victory on the final day, Bengal suffered a jolt losing overnight unbeaten batter Koushik Ghosh, who was clean bowled by UP pacer Ankit Rajpoot on the third ball of the day.But the experienced duo of skipper Manoj Tiwary and Anushtup Majumder held fort well to take the side home just before the lunch interval. UP's cause was harmed by some poor fielding too as they dropped chances and were culprits of sloppy fielding.
Majumder made amends for missing out in the first innings by playing a solid knock and got his 4000 the first-class run before falling to a rather soft dismissal to part-time bowler Rinku Singh for 83 that came off 170 balls with 10 boundaries. Eden Gardens might not come under Minister of State Tiwary's constituency, but the skipper knows how to rule here too as he dictated terms after getting a life early when Rajpoot could not hold on to a caught-and-bowled chance. Playing some delicate cuts and drives along with hitting Karan Sharma for the only six of the innings, the seasoned campaigner remained undefeated on 60 off 108 deliveries.
It was the 95-run third-wicket stand between Tiwary and Majumder that took Bengal to the doorstep of victory.
Bengal pacer Ishan Porel was adjudged the Player Of The Match for his seven-wicket haul.
Tiwary eyes winning swansong:
The call to take up the captain's role came late to Tiwary this season after designated skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran was named as replacement for injured India skipper Rohit Sharma for the Bangladesh Tests. “I have a dream to win the Ranji Trophy for Bengal and for that I am ready to play any role. The season has got off well and if it goes likewise, I am ready to call it a day on a winning note,” Tiwary said after the win.
Brief scores: Bengal 169 & 259/4 in 74.5 ovs (Koushik Ghosh 69, Anustup Majumdar 83, Manoj Tiwary 60 not out; Shivam Mavi 2/65) Uttar Pradesh 198 & 227. Bengal won by 6 wkts. Bengal 6 points, Uttar Pradesh 0.