Ranji Trophy 2014-15: Madhya Pradesh amass 274/1 against Bengal

Indore: Madhya Pradesh openers Aditya Srivastava and Jalaj Saxena struck patient centuries as the home team reach 274 for one against Bengal on the first day of the final round encounter of the Ranji Trophy cricket tournament, here today.

Srivastava (118 not out) and former India A player Saxena (109) added 222 for the opening stand as Bengal bowlers had little cheer on a flat deck at the Holkar Stadium. Such was the plight of the Bengal attack that the only wicket of the day was taken by Manoj Tiwary, who bowls part-time leg-breaks.

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None of the senior bowlers including Ashok Dinda (none for 68), Saurashish Lahiri (none for 36) and Laxmi Ratan Shukla (none for 51) couldn’t make much of an impact. Srivastava, playing his third first-class match scored his second ton, a patient knock off 292 balls with 15 boundaries. Both Srivastava and Saxena didn’t let go the opportumity to punish loose deliveries.

The more experienced Saxena scored his 10th first class ton and faced 191 balls with 19 boundaries to his credit. Bengal team management finally dropped veteran opener Arindam Das and picked young Abhishek Das in his place.

Brief scores:

Madhya Pradesh 274 for 1 in 90 overs (Aditya Srivastava 118*, Jalaj Saxena 109; Manoj Tiwary 1 for 21) vs Bengal.