Bowlers ensured a crucial first innings lead and then batsmen complemented their efforts as Bengal are all but through to the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy.

At stumps on the penultimate day of their quarter-final clash versus Odisha at the DRIEMS ground at Tangi, Cuttack, Bengal were strongly placed at 361/7 in their second innings with an overall lead of 443.

The total certainly looks out of Odisha’s reach, though funny and funnier things are known to happen in cricket.

Half-centuries from Abhishek Raman (67), Sreevats Goswami (78) and Shahbaz Ahmed (52 batting) couldn’t have come at a better time for their team.

“Already having secured three points and extended our lead, we intend to keep batting on the final day. We’ll have some good batting practice,” Raman told The Telegraph after the day’s play.

Openers Koushik Ghosh and captain Abhimanyu Easwaran perished despite being well set, but No. 3 batsman Raman showed the patience and discipline to bat for long and get important figures beside his name on a pitch with variable bounce.

Not just that, he and Sreevats also stitched an important 102-run partnership for the fifth wicket that had taken Bengal’s lead to 299, which already started looking quite intimidating for Odisha.

More importantly, these runs should help Raman feel a bit more comfortable if Karnataka turn out to be Bengal’s opponents in the semi-finals.

“It’s still a little bit early to think of the semi-finals. But yeah, if we face Karnataka, we’ll be up against a stable side that plays consistently well.

“That said, we are in a better frame of mind now,” Raman added.

Following Raman’s dismissal, Sreevats and Shahbaz Ahmed — Bengal’s find in this Ranji Trophy — upped the scoring rate to pile on Odisha’s agony.

Raman missed out on what would have been a solid century, but Shahbaz registered yet another crucial half-century that has taken Bengal closer and closer to the last-four spot.

Spinner Arnab Nandi also made it tough for the struggling Odisha bowlers, scoring 45.

“The team is playing well. Our bowlers are doing fabulously well, bundling out opponents.

“I would’ve been happier if our batters scored more runs since they have the quality to get hundreds,” coach Arun Lal said.

Quite assured of his team making the semis, Lal was all praise for young Shahbaz.

“Shahbaz was amazing. Throughout the season, he has been doing fantastically well.

“Sreevats also played a good knock today. Along with Shahbaz, Sreevats and Arnab also getting important runs means we are almost through to the semi-finals,” the coach emphasised.

The top three spending some time at the crease and getting a decent amount of runs should make them feel a tad better going into the semi-finals. And on top of that, the game will be played at Eden Gardens, assuming Bengal face Karnataka in the semis.

'To speak of myself, the season began well for me but during the middle phase, I struggled for runs. If you don't get runs in four-five matches on the trot, your confidence gets affected,” Raman said.

Emphatic win for Gujarat

Left-arm spinner Siddharth Desai grabbed a five-for as Gujarat thrashed Goa by a whopping 464 runs to storm into the Ranji Trophy semi-finals here on Sunday.

Set a daunting target of 629 for an improbable win, Goa were bundled out for 164 in their second essay on Day IV of this quarter-final game at the Sardar Patel Stadium.

Desai (5/81) ran through the Goa batsmen and got able support from pacer Arzan Nagwaswalla (4/18). In Jammu, Karnataka took the crucial first innings lead after bowling out Jammu and Kashmir for 192 on the penultimate day of their quarter-final game.

Resuming the day on 88/2 in reply to Karnataka’s first innings total of 206, Jammu and Kashmir let the advantage slip by losing wickets at regular intervals to be bundled out. Pacer M Prasidh Krishna impressed once again as he returned with a four-wicket haul, while Jagadeesha Suchith and Ronit More grabbed two wickets each and Krishnappa Gowtham claimed one.

In their second essay, Karnataka reached 245/4.

Summarised scores

• In Valsad: Gujarat 602/8 decl. & 199/6 decl. (S. Gohel 72). Goa 173 & 164 (S. Desai 5/81). Gujarat won by 464 runs
• In Jammu: Karnataka 206 & 245/4 (R. Samarth 74, K. Siddharth 75 batting). Jammu and Kashmir 192 (S. Khajuria 62; P. Krishna 4/42)
• In Ongole: Saurashtra 419 & 375/9 (P. Mankad 85). Andhra 136