In a game that mattered, Bengal’s batting turned out to be horrendous as they lost the Ranji Trophy game to Haryana by 283 at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground in Kalyani on Saturday.
After being shot out for 125 in the first innings, Bengal batsmen were poorer in the second as Haryana, setting an imposing 369-run target, bowled them out for 85. This loss means Bengal’s chances of making the knockout stage of the tournament are virtually over.
Mathematically, their prospects remain just a little bit. But for that, they first need to win big in their remaining group-phase clash against Punjab beginning on January 30 and hope other results go in their favour.
Haryana, on the other hand, have advanced to the knockout round, finishing on top of Group C with 26 points. Their pacer Anuj Thakral took four wickets on Day III to register a 10-wicket game haul, while Anshul Kamboj also struck four times.
On a pitch that aided quicks, Bengal bowlers were disappointing in the second innings as they allowed Haryana to post as many as 336. Barring Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, who took another fifer to finish with a match-haul of 11 wickets, others barely made any impression on a helpful track and that includes Mukesh Kumar, the senior-most pacer in the attack and one with India experience.
For a player of Mukesh’s calibre, particularly following his success in Australia for India ‘A’ last November, one expected better from him than going for 99 in 23 overs and picking up only two wickets. It was primarily due to Suraj’s late burst that Haryana lost their last five wickets for only 16 on Saturday and couldn’t set an even bigger target.
Also, on that Kalyani pitch, hit-the-deck bowling was a better option, something Haryana quicks were able to do as they consistently hit the 135kmph mark. Their Bengal counterparts, on the other hand, relied more on the release of the ball.
In the end, though, it boils down to the batters’ poor show as they ought to have surpassed the opponents’ meagre 157-run first-innings total.
Brief scores: Haryana 157 & 336 (Nishant Sindhu 80, Himanshu Rana 72; Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal 5/92). Bengal 125 & 85 (Anshul Kamboj 4/35, Anuj Thakral 4/32). Haryana won by 283 runs.