Bengal take first innings points

Bengal settled for a draw on the final-day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group 'A' match against Maharashtra in Pune on Saturday, earning two points from the first innings lead of 28 runs over the hosts.

Resuming at 101 for 3, Maharashtra were bundled out for 249 in their second innings.

The most successful Bengal bowler was S Lahiri, who bagged seven wickets for 93 runs.

Maharashtra captain Hrishikesh Kanitkar was the top-scorer (48) for his team in the second innings.

Former Mumbai skipper and leg spinner Sairaj Bahutule, who has switched over to Maharashtra this season, contributed with 35 runs, which contained four boundaries.

Sourav Ganguly, who scored a fine 159 on Friday and took five wickets in Maharashtra's first innings, did not bowl in the second innings.

Bengal had enough time and 46 overs to overhaul 222 for an outright win, which could have helped them get four points. But the team management sought to play it safe.

At stumps Bengal were 93 for one, with opener Arindam Das out for 37.

The not out batsmen were S Das, 42, and S Lahiri, 7. Maharashtra had scored 350 and Bengal 378 in the first innings.

Scorecard

Maharashtra (Ist innings): 350

Bengal (Ist innings): 378

Maharashtra (2nd innings): (overnight 101 for 3)
Mansingh Nigde c Dasgupta b Lahari 30
Yogesh Pawar run out S Das 39
H Kanitkar c Ganguly B Lahari 48
Abhijit Kale c S Das B Lahari 0
Dhruv Mohan c S Das B Lahari 24
Sairaj Bahutule c Dasgupta B Gandhi 35
Satyajit Satbhai c Snyal B Lahari 10
Munaf Patel c (sub) Tiwari B lahari 12
Anupam Sanklecha not out 25
Suyash Burkul c Shukla B Lahiri 7
Rohit Jadhav b Gandhi 0
Extras: (B-5, LB-1, NO-10, W-3) 19
Total: (all out in 83.2 overs) 249

Fall of wickets: 1-42, 2-90, 3-90, 4-154, 5-160, 6-180, 7-198, 8-218, 9-247.

Bowling: Ashok Dinda 9-0-43-0 (no-3,w-1), Sanjib Sanyal 2-9-16-0 (w-1), Laxmi Shukla 15-3-50-0 (no-3), S Lahiri 37-10-93-7 (no-4), Rohan Gavaskar 17-6-31-0 (w-1), Devang Gandhi 3.2-1-10-2.

Bengal (2nd innings):
Arindam Das b S Bahutule 37
Subhomay Das not out 42
Saurashis Lahiri not out 7
Extra: (NB-6,W-1) 7
Total (for one wicket, in 39 overs): 93

Fall of wicket: 1-76

Bowling: Munaf Patel 8-1-20-0, Suyash Burkul 4-1-11-0, Anupam Sanklecha 4-0-14-0, Sairaj Bahutule 14-3-24-1, Rohit Jadhav 8-2-16-0, Hrikesh Kanitkar 1-0-8-0.