Ranji Trophy: Bengal make late comeback vs Andhra

KOLKATA: Two late strikes saw Bengal make a comeback after Andhra replied strongly to finish Day II of the Elite Group ‘B’ Ranji Trophy encounter at 119 for three in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. The hosts still trail Bengal by 290 runs after the visitors were bowled out for 409 at the stroke of lunch.
Andhra openers CR Gnaneshwar and Prashanth Kumar took full advantage of the easiest batting conditions of the day in the second session of play as they put on 64 runs in the opening wicket.Left-arm Pradipta Pramanik drew first blood when he had Gnaneshwar caught by Manoj Tiwary at slips after the tea break. Shaik Rasheed and Prashanth then added 48 runs as the Bengal bowlers toiled hard to get a breakthrough on a wicket which was getting slower.
Pacer Mohammad Kaif, brother of India bowler Mohammad Shami, finally had Prashanth caught by substitute Subham Chatterjee half-an-hour before stumps. Rasheed fell on the last ball of the day, edging one to wicketkeeper Abhishek Porel off Akash Deep. The way skipper Hanuma Vihari, unbeaten on six, will build up his innings can well determine the course of the match from here.
Earlier the Bengal tail failed to wage for long as they lost six wickets in the first session of play. The side lost unbeaten batter Kaif at the same overnight score of 289 and skipper Tiwary followed soon after. Wicketkeeper-batter Abhishek Porel played a lone hand to take Bengal past the 400-run mark. His brother Ishan Porel, however, gave him good support, as the pacer managed to negotiate 26 deliveries without scoring. Abhishek went for his shots hitting five fours and two sixes at the other end before becoming the last batter to be dismissed for 70.