Ranji Trophy: Biswal ton in vain as Orissa lose to Bengal

Second-innings century by Ranjib Biswal went in vain as Orissa lost to Bengal by an innings and 76 runs on the last day of their four-day Ranji Trophy East Zone match at Eden Gardens in Calcutta today. This was Orissa’s 57th overll loss in 118 Ranji Trophy matches and 27th defeat in 38 matches against Bengal.

Orissa lost half of the battle on the opening day as they were bowled out for 188 after electing to bat. Amiya Ray was top scorer with 45 runs. In reply, Bengal declared at 608 for four to take a first-innings lead of 420 runs. Arun Lal and Mintoo Das scored a century each, while Ashok Malhotra and Sourav Ganguly slammed a unbeaten half-century each. Out of the four Bengal wickets, Sourajit Mohapatra captured three.

Needing 421 runs to avoid defeat, Orissa gave a good fight before folding up for 344 in the second innings. Biswal led the Orissa fight-back with a defiant knock of 108, which came off 149 balls and featured 12 boundaries. Debutant Debadutta Lenka and Amiya Ray also batted well, hitting a half-century each.

SCORECARD (Orissa Match No 118):

ORISSA (1st innings): Soumitra Chowdhury b D Mukherjee 4, Dhirendra Rout lbw D Mukherjee 1, Debadutta Lenka c Das b Satyendra Singh 37, Harmohan Praharaj c Roy b Satyendra Singh 10, Ranjib Biswal c Malhotra b D Mukherjee 15, Amiya Ray lbw Sourav Ganguly 45, *Asjit Jaiprakasham c Arun Lal b Satyendra Singh 0, Abinash Khatua c Sourav Ganguly b Satyendra Singh 4, Sushil Kumar Prasad st Das b Chatterjee 22, +Pannalal Bose c Roy b Sourav Ganguly 0, Sourajit Mohapatra not out 0; Extras (lb-4, nb-8, w-2) 14, Penalties 36
Total (all out, 53.3 overs) 188
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-26, 3-51, 4-66, 5-102, 6-102, 7-112, 8-146, 9-146, 10-152
Bengal bowling: D Mukherjee 21-8-41-3, Satyendra Singh 18-4-66-4, Sourav Ganguly 10-1-31-2, SP Mukherjee 2-0-2-0, Chatterjee 2.3-1-8-1.

BENGAL (1st innings): *P Roy lbw Mohapatra 38, +Mintoo Das c Rout b Mohapatra 186, J Arun Lal c Lenka b Kumar Prasad 183, Snehasish Ganguly c Khatua b Mohapatra 24, Ashok Malhotra not out 76, Sourav Ganguly not out 78, Rajinder Singh DNB, SP Mukherjee DNB, US Chatterjee DNB, D Mukherjee DNB, Satyendra Singh DNB; Extras (b-1, lb-12, nb-8, w-2) 23
Total (4 wickets, declared, 157 overs) 608
Fall of wickets: 1-88, 2-386, 3-426, 4-461
Orissa bowling: Praharaj 28-7-90-0, Mohapatra 40-5-162-3, Biswal 35-3-125-0, Kumar Prasad 46-2-179-1, Chowdhury 2-0-9-0, Khatua 3-0-16-0, Rout 1-0-12-0, Jaiprakasham 2-1-2-0.

ORISSA (2nd innings): S Chowdhury run out 15, DK Rout lbw Satyendra Singh 2, D Lenka c Arun Lal b Chatterjee 89, S Kumar Prasad c D Mukherjee b Satyendra Singh 1, R Biswal c & b Chatterjee 108, A Ray lbw D Mukherjee 54, *A Jaiprakasham b Satyendra Singh 33, A Khatua lbw D Mukherjee 0, HB Praharaj c Rajinder Singh b D Mukherjee 9, +P Bose lbw Satyendra Singh 0, S Mohapatra not out 23; Extras (lb-10) 10
Total (all out, 92.3 overs) 344
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-34, 3-35, 4-211, 5-230, 6-310, 7-312, 8-312, 9-316, 10-344
Bengal bowling: D Mukherjee 17.3-1-68-3, Satyendra Singh 14-3-59-4, Sourav Ganguly 13-1-57-0, SP Mukherjee 24-0-100-0, Chatterjee 22-5-42-2, Arun Lal 2-0-8-0.
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PHOTO: Undated file picture of Orissa allrounder Ranjib Biswal.