SportsCricket
Porel rescues Bengal to 143 at Eden before bad light stops Maharashtra's reply at 18 for none
From 72 for 7, Abishek Porel and Pradipta Pramanik dragged the group leaders past 140. Prithvi Shaw's side then saw off Mohammed Shami's new-ball spell before the light went in Kolkata.
Key points
- Bengal were bowled out for 143 after slumping to 72 for 7 on the first morning.
- Abishek Porel and Pradipta Pramanik added at least 61 for the eighth wicket.
- Maharashtra were 18 for none after six overs when bad light halted play.
Abishek Porel spared Bengal a far worse first day at Eden Gardens on Monday. The group leaders, 72 for 7 in the morning, were eventually bowled out for 143 by Maharashtra, who were 18 for none in reply when bad light stopped play early in the afternoon.
Porel had come in with Bengal in trouble and found a steady partner in Pradipta Pramanik. The pair took the score from 72 to 133 without being parted, an eighth-wicket stand of at least 61, with Porel on 49 off 58 balls and Pramanik on 30 off 41 at that point.
Once the stand was broken, the tail went quickly. Bengal’s last three wickets added just 10 runs, leaving Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Kaif little time with the bat. Pradeep Dadhe, who had done the early damage, was the pick of the Maharashtra attack, with 3 for 45 from 14 overs by the time Bengal reached 133. Rajvardhan Hangargekar and Tanay Sanghvi took two wickets each.
Captain Prithvi Shaw then opened Maharashtra’s reply with Siddhesh Veer. Shami, back in the Bengal side, bowled a tight new-ball spell of three overs for four runs, including a maiden, but could not break through. Shaw hit two fours in his 12 not out, and Veer was on 6.
With six overs gone, Maharashtra trail by 125 runs. The light then faded over Kolkata, and by about 1:50 pm play had been halted, shortly before the scheduled tea break at 2:10 pm. Play is due to close at 4 pm if the conditions allow a restart.
Bengal came into the round unbeaten, with three outright wins, and now need early wickets on the second morning to stay level in the match. The game runs until Thursday.