Bengal failed to take advantage of winning the toss and the moisture on the wicket as Mumbai reached 330/6 on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy match at Eden Gardens on Friday.
Mumbai started on a brisk note but Bengal put the brakes on their progress with Ankit Mishra removing Bhupen Lalwani in the 16th over. Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal then dealt them a huge blow when he had Prithvi Shaw nicking behind a little later.
Shaw, making a return to the domestic fold following an injury, struck five boundaries in his 35 off 42 balls. Mumbai suffered a mini collapse after being reduced to 87 for four but a 144-run partnership between captain Shivam Dube (72) and Suryansh Shedge (71) rescued the visitors.
Regular captain Ajinkya Rahane opted out of this match following a hamstring injury he suffered in their previous match against Uttar Pradesh.
The two quick dismissals pegged back Mumbai but Tanush Kotian and Atharva Ankolekar’s unbroken partnership helped Mumbai regain the advantage.
Mohammed Kaif got rid of Dube to bring a huge sigh of relief in the Bengal camp. Another set batter Suryansh too fell in the next over to put the home side back into the game.
Despite the quick wickets, incoming batters Kotian and Atharva Ankolekar (41 not out) played sensibly to add another unbeaten 99-run partnership for the seventh wicket to take the team past the 300-run mark at the end of the day.
“We will give our best to come back stronger and bowl them out on the second day. Our bowlers tried their best, but it wasn’t our day. I hope our bowlers will dismiss them early on the second day and put the pressure back on them,” Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla said after the day’s play.
Young Jaiswal (3/95) was the most successful bowler on the day and the only one who kept the Mumbai batsmen on a tight leash. He ended up bowling 26 overs on the day.
The rest of the bowlers were either wayward or failed to make any impact.
Dube batted with fluency and never allowed any of the bowlers to make a mark. He also brought out the best from Suryansh, who was dropped by Ishan Porel early in his innings.
Dube miscued an attempted heave over long on to be caught at third man as the ball took the top edge. Suryansh then played straight into the hands of mid off as he miscued a drive.
Bengal bowlers will have a tough task unless they manage to produce some variety into their attack. The attack at times looked one dimensional.
Brief Scores: Mumbai 330/6 (Shivam Dube 72, Suryansh Shedge 71, Tanush Kotian 55 batting, Atharva Ankolekar 41 batting; Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal 3/95) vs Bengal.
