Published: Nov 17, 2015, 08:58 AM (IST)
Edited: Aug 31, 2016, 04:35 PM (IST)
Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s live blog of the third day of the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2015-16 Group A match between Maharashtra and Bengal in Pune on Tuesday. Bengal finished on a massive score of 528 for eight at the end of the second day’s play, with Pragyan Ojha and Ashok Dinda batting on 14 and 2 respectively. Sudip Chatterjee’s defiant 147, as well as half-centuries from Abhimanyu Easwaran (65), Aamir Gani (59), Sayan Mondal (58), Pankaj Shaw (57) and Shreevats Goswami (51) propelled the visitors to the massive total, with the side having batted out 180 overs over the last two days. Chirag Khurana has been the leading wicket-taker for Maharashtra so far, having taken four wickets at the expense of 141 runs, including that of Chatterjee. Samad Fallah (and Domnic Muthuswami were the other members of the side. Complete coverage of Ranji Trophy 2015-16
Easwaran and Mondal got Bengal off to a strong start with their 128-run opening stand after they were put to bat by Maharashtra, before a change of bowling saw the duo depart in quick succession. Chatterjee went on to anchor most part of the Bengal innings thereafter, sharing century stands with Goswami and Shaw, before getting stumped off the bowling of Khurana to bring down the curtains on his 311-ball innings, which contained 19 fours. Given the fact that the tailenders will be walking out to bat on Tuesday morning, the Bengal innings is not expected to last much longer. Thus the pressure will be on the hosts to put up a strong batting performance over the next couple of days, either by gaining a lead or by batting out the remaining days.
Live Cricket Score: Maharashtra 296 for 3 | Bengal 528/8 Dec | Overs 90 | BATSMEN: RA Tripathi 116 (227), AR Bawane 59 (122) | Maharashtra go to stumps on Day 3 with a healthy total on board. They end the day at 296 for 3 with still trailing by 232 runs. It has been their day and if they continue in the same fashion, they might well topple the Bengal score of 528. A lot will depend on these two, who have added 139 runs for the fourth wicket as yet. Unless Bengal bowlers come up with something special tomorrow, Maharashtra will run away with the points on the basis of first innings lead. We will have to wait for tomorrow to know the outcome.
Live Cricket Score: Maharashtra 277 for 3 | Bengal 528/8 Dec | Overs 83 | BATSMEN: RA Tripathi 100 (205), AR Bawane 56 (102) | Hundred for Rahul Tripathi! Rahul Tripathi has brought his third First-Class hundred. He has got it at a time when the team needed it from him. Senior pro Kedar Jadhav was not a part of this match and hence a big innings was needed from a batsman. Tripathi stepped up and played a fine knock. He has found an able ally in Ankit Bawane, who has been unbeaten on 56.
Live Cricket Score: Maharashtra 245 for 3 | Bengal 528/8 Dec | Overs 73 | BATSMEN: RA Tripathi 84 (173), AR Bawane 43 (71) | Maharashtra have gone strength to strength in their reply and have reached to a total of 245 for 3. Tripathi and Bawane are looking great at the moment and have added 88 runs for the fourth wicket so far. Bengal bowlers have looked ordinary on a wicket that has virtually nothing to offer.
Live Cricket Score: Maharashtra 219 for 3 | Bengal 528/8 Dec | Overs 63 | BATSMEN: RA Tripathi 70 (137), AR Bawane 31 (47) | Maharashtra are doing well at the moment. They may have lost three wickets as they go to tea, but their batsmen have done reasonably well. The current pair of Tripathi and Ankit Bawane has added 62 runs so far and is looking solid at the moment. The key for them would be to continue with the good work and see how far they can go.
Live Cricket Score: Maharashtra 179 for 3 | Bengal 528/8 Dec | Overs 50 | BATSMEN: RA Tripathi 55 (88), AR Bawane 6 (18) | Ashoke Dinda has returned to remove the well set Sangram Atitkar. He got him caught by Sudip Chatterjee for 65. In the meantime, Rahul Tripathi too has completed his half-century. He is now playing on 55 runs, which have come at a decent rate. Ankit Bawane has joined him in the middle and the two are looking to build a partnership.
OUT! SD Atitkar ct Sudip Chatterjee b Ashoke Dinda 65 (139)
Live Cricket Score: Maharashtra 149 for 2 | Bengal 528/8 Dec | Overs 42 | BATSMEN: SD Atitkar 65 (114), RA Tripathi 35 (65) | Maharashtra have reached close to 150 run mark post lunch. Atitkar continues to go about his business in a perfect manner. Rahul Tripthi too is looking good in the middle. The duo has added 82 runs for the third wicket. They need to continue in the same manner, since they are without the services of their star batsman Kedar Jadhav. Without him, Maharashtra middle order looks thin.
Live Cricket Score: Maharashtra 122 for 2 | Bengal 528/8 Dec | Overs 34 | BATSMEN: SD Atitkar 51 (86), RA Tripathi 24 (40) | Maharashtra go at lunch with two wickets down for 122. Sangram Atitkar has just reached his half-century. Rahul Tripathi is giving him a good company from the other end. Unless we witness some action in post-lunch session, the match will head towards a draw. Maharashtra batsmen will have to work really hard if they have to reach anywhere close to Bengal’s total.
Live Cricket Score: Maharashtra 95 for 2 | Bengal 528/8 Dec | Overs 28 | BATSMEN: SD Atitkar 40 (70), RA Tripathi 9 (18) | Mukesh Kumar has struck in this phase of play for Bengal as he has got rid of Swapnil Gugale. The Maharashtra opener was looking solid during his stay and had got his eyes set. His dismissal is a blow for the team from the western part of India. Sangram Atitkar is still going steady with his unbeaten 40 runs. Rahul Tripathi has joined him in the middle now.
OUT! SM Gugale lbw Mukesh Kumar 35 (68)
Live Cricket Score: Maharashtra 60 for 1 | Bengal 528/8 Dec | Overs 19 | BATSMEN: SM Gugale 29 (58), SD Atitkar 21 (44) | Maharashtra are going steadily after losing Harshad Khadiwale early on in the innings. SM Gugale and Sangram Atitkar are slowly getting into the groove now. Bengal opened their bowling with their best bowlers Ashoke Dinda and Pragyan Ojha, hinting that they mean business. They went for the wickets straightway and as a result got Khadiwale early.
Live Cricket Score: Maharashtra 37 for 1 | Bengal 528/8 Dec | Overs 12 | BATSMEN: SM Gugale 20 (37), SD Atitkar 12 (22) | As expected, Bengal declared their first innings on the overnight score of 8 for 529. This was always on the cards with just two days of play remaining in this match. In reply, Maharashtra innings did not start on the right note. They lost their opener Harshad Khadiwale to Ashoke Dinda’s delivery. Barring that wicket, Maharashtra have played cautiously so far, with SM Gugale and Sangram Atitkar at crease.
OUT! H Khadiwale ct Sudip Chatterjee b Ashoke Dinda 5 (13)
Brief scores:
Bengal 528 for 8 (Abhimanyu Easwaran 65, Sayan Mondal 58, Sudip Chatterjee 147, Shreevats Goswami 51, Pankaj Shaw 57, Aamir Gani 59; Chirag Khurana 4 for 141) vs Maharashtra.
