The Bengal bowlers continued to be spot on with their lines and lengths as they hammered Kerala by 287 runs in their Round 3 Ranji Trophy clash at Mangalapuram on Thursday.
This thumping win was Bengal’s third on the trot, as they cemented their top position in Group C with 18 points.
Half the job was done on the penultimate day, Wednesday, when Pradipta Pramanik took four wickets to leave Kerala reeling at 53/4 at Stumps. With 355 still in
arrears, Kerala faced a daunting task of facing Bengal’s in-form spinners. And the script unfolded predictably as Kerala were eventually bundled out for 120.
Left-arm spinner Pramanik added two more wickets to finish with a match haul of 10 for the first time in his first-class career, while senior pacer Mohammed Shami and spinner all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed picked up two scalps apiece to wrap it up for Bengal.
Alongside praising Pramanik, head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla also spoke highly of the 103-run stand between Shahbaz and Sumanta Gupta in the first innings that turned things around for Bengal.
“That partnership actually turned out to be a game-changer,” Shukla stated. “As for Pradipta, he vindicated our faith in him.”
Bengal face Maharashtra next at Eden Gardens from November 2. The Eden pitch is expected to be a sporting one.
Brief scores: Bengal 350 & 198. Kerala 141 & 120 (Pradipta Pramanik 6/51, Shahbaz Ahmed 2/19). Bengal won by 287 runs.