Fast bowler Ranadeb Bose wrecked the Hyderabad batting line-up with a seven-wicket haul to put Bengal on course for victory on the penultimate day of the four-day Super League Group B Ranji Trophy match in Hyderabad on Thursday.
The hosts, after bowling Bengal out for 200 and acquiring a first innings lead of 109 runs, collapsed for 76 in their second essay, with the young Bengal bowler recording splendid figures of 7 for 25.
Needing 186 for an outright victory, the visitors were 72 for two at close, with A Jhunjhunwala (25) and Manoj Tiwary (19) at the crease.
They need 114 runs to win with eight wickets in hand.
Resuming at 172 for seven, Bengal's first innings folded up at 200, only L R Shukla showing some resistance with a defiant 46, as young Absolem returned with a five-wicket haul and Hyderabad gained an upper hand with a first innings lead of 109 runs.
Speedster Ranadeb turned the tide Bengal's way by maintaining a good line and length and sending the Hyderabad batsmen back to pavilion in quick successions.
Of the Hyderabad batsmen, only three -- T S Soman (23), P K Reddy (16) and D B Ravi Teja (11) -- managed to get to double figures.
Despite losing openers Arindam Das (10) and A P Chakraborty (8) early, Jhunjhunwala and Tiwary saw off the day without further damage.
Scorecard
Hyderabad (1st innings): 309
Bengal (1st innings): (overnight 172 for 7):
Arindam Das lbw b P Ojha 5
A P Chakraborty lbw b A Absolem 10
A A Jhunjhuwala lbw b A Absolem 16
R S Gavsakar c Khaleel b Ojha 66
M Tiwary lbw b Arjun 31
D Dasgutpa lbw b Reddy 1
L R Shukla c Ravi Teja b Reddy 0
S S Lahiri (not out) 46
S S Sarkar c Khaleel b Absolem 6
R R Bose lbw b Absolem 1
A Dinda c and b Absolem 0
Extras: (b-8, lb-7, w-3) 18
Total: (all out 86.2 overs) 200
Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-26, 3-44, 4-88, 5-100, 6-104, 7-164, 8-186, 9-200
Bowling: P K Reddy 22-5-66-2, M P Arun 15-6-26-1, A Absolem 20.2-6-52-5, P Ojha 27-14-40-2, A S Yadav 2-1-1-0.
Hyderabad (2nd innings):
T S Suman b Bose 23
D B Ravi Teja c Dasgupta b Bose 11
Anirudh Singh run out 0
P Shashank Nag lbw b Bose 0
A S Yadav c Dasgupta b Bose 2
D Vinay Kumar b Bose 0
A Absolem b Bose 4
Khaleel c Tiwary b Dinda 4
P K Reddy b Sarkar 16
M P Arjun c Dasgupta b Bose 0
P Ojha (not out) 6
Extras: (b-8, lb-2) 10
Total: (all out in 42.4 overs) 76
Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-17, 3-17, 4-21, 5-21, 6-43, 7-48, 8-54, 9-58
Bowling: R R Bose 20-9-25-7, S S Sarkar 7.4-2-17-1, A Dinda 15-4-24-1.
Bengal (2nd innings):
Arindam Das c Khaleel b Arjun 10
A P Chakraborty lbw b Arjun 8
A A Jhunjhunwala batting 26
M Tiwary batting 19
Extras: (lb-9) 9
Total: (for 2 wkts in 26 overs) 72
Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-29
Bowling: P K Reddy 7-2-26-0, A Absolem 7-2-9-0, M P Arjun 9-4-9-2, P Ojha 3-0-19-0.
