Ranji Trophy: Easwaran keeps Bengal's victory hopes alive

Bengal batters made amends of their poor show in the first innings as they put up a brave fight on Saturday to set up an intriguing final day's play against Baroda in the Elite Group B Ranji Trophy tie at the Barabati stadium in Cuttack. Chasing a huge 349 runs for victory, Bengal skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran stood tall to remain undefeated on a solid 79 facing 119 deliveries. He scored at a brisk rate early in the second innings that helped in releasing the pressure.

Youngster Sudip Gharami too rose to the occasion as the duo were involved in a 79-run opening wicket stand. However, Bengal suffered a mini setback losing Gharami and Writtick Chowdhury within a span of two deliveries. While Gharmi was bowled by pacer Atit Sheth for 27, Chowdhury, promoted up the order was picked up by Dhruv Patel in the very next over.

But Anushtup Majumder, coming ahead of Sudip Chatterjee and Manoj Tiwary, once again played the role of a crisis man, building up a partnership with his skipper slowly but steadily. Both remained undefeated at stumps keeping Bengal's hopes of pulling off a stunning win alive. "It's all about the belief that we can turn it around and with the batting line-up we have we are ready to go for it.

If we can build up good partnerships we can certainly chase it down," Easwaran said at the end of third day's play. On a wicket that is still quite good to bat on, the Baroda tailenders did well to add 111 more runs in the third day before being bowled out for 255 in their second essay. Pacer Ishan Porel once again was the pick of Bengal bowlers claiming three for 70 while Akash Deep too picked up three for 69 runs.