Kolkata: Pacer Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal picked up six for 46 to put Bengal on top at the end of Day I of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group ‘C' penultimate league match against Haryana at the Bengal Cricket Academy (BCA) ground in Kalyani on Thursday.
In a must-win match against table-toppers Haryana to keep their knockout hopes alive, Bengal's pace trio of Mukesh Kumar, Jaiswal and Mohammed Kaif ran through the visitors' first innings to bowl them out for a paltry 157 in 44.5 overs after the tea break. At stumps, the hosts were at 10 after losing opener Writtick Chatterjee, who was drafted in as a late replacement for the injured Abhimanyu Easwaran.
Haryana, however, began on a promising note with openers Lakshhya Dalal and Ankit Kumar putting together an 81-run opening-wicket stand after a delayed start due to fog and wet outfield. But the Bengal pacers vindicated their skipper Anushtup Majumder's decision to bowl first on a lively wicket by striking hard in the second session as from 69 no loss at lunch, Haryana tumbled to 122 for four at the tea interval. They lost the remaining six wickets in 14.5 overs.
Skipper Ankit set up the platform with a 56-ball 57, but sadly none of the Haryana batters could build on that as they lost wickets at regular frequencies. Jaiswal began his hunt by clean bowling Ankit and No. 3 batter Himanshu Rana. While Mukesh Kumar and Kaif picked up two wickets each in the middle overs, Jaiswal returned to wrap up the tail to end with six for 46.
It remains to be seen if the 15-year-old debutant Ankit Chatterjee, who played out 20 deliveries to remain undefeated on five with nightwatchman Rohit Kumar, will be able to carry forward his U-19 stage good show to the senior level and help Bengal earn full points from this match.
Brief scores: Haryana 157 in 44.5 ovs (Ankit Kumar 57; SS Jaiswal 6-46, Mukesh Kumar 2-52, Md Kaif 2-23). Bengal 10/1 in 5 ovs (Sumit Kumar 1-2).