Ranji Trophy: Bengal thrash Delhi, Desai powers Gujarat to big win over Odisha

Bengal started their Ranji Trophy Group C campaign with a convincing nine-wicket victory over Delhi on Wednesday, ending the match on the final day after restricting their opponents to 277 in the second innings. Needing just 89 runs to win, the home side completed the chase with minimal fuss.

Delhi resumed the day at 101 for three but could only manage 277 in 106.2 overs. Captain Ayush Badoni led the charge with 85 off 134 balls and hit 10 boundaries while wicketkeeper batsman Anuj Rawat added 39 off 76 deliveries.

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Bengal established a commanding lead in the match by scoring 429 in their first innings in reply to Delhi’s 240. Their bowlers ensured that the visitors could not mount a substantial recovery, leaving the hosts with a modest target.

Delhi were reduced to 59 for three before Badoni and Rawat joined forces to steady the innings. However, Aamir Gani broke the partnership by dismissing Rawat, who made 39, while Sumanta Gupta sent Yash Dhull back to the pavilion for 22.

Badoni continued to resist as wickets fell around him but his innings ended on 85 when Pradipta Pramanik had him caught by Abhimanyu Easwaran. Delhi were then 213 for six and their hopes of establishing Bengal as a competitive target were further dashed by the quick dismissals of Dev Lakra, who scored 13, and Hrithik Shokeen, who managed eight.

Divij Mehra chipped in with 21 off 28 balls while Navdeep Saini remained unbeaten on 20 as Delhi were eventually bowled out.

Pramanik led the Bengal attack with three wickets while Gani and Gupta picked up two each. Mohammed Shami, Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar took one wicket each.

Bengal made light work of a target of 89 runs, reaching 89 for one in just 15.3 overs. Ankur Paul got off to an attacking start with 38 off 41 balls, including two fours and a six, before being dismissed. Easwaran remained unbeaten on 34 off 40 deliveries while Sudip Gharami, who scored a century in the first innings, contributed to the win with an unbeaten 16 off 12 balls.

GUJARAT CRUH ODISHA BY 10 WICKETS

Gujarat also started their Group C campaign in style, recording a dominant 10-wicket win over Odisha in Ahmedabad to clinch the bonus point.

Resuming their second innings at 119 for four, Odisha struggled with left-armer Siddharth Desai dismantling their batting line-up with figures of 5 for 36. They were dismissed for 161 in 46.1 overs, leaving Gujarat a target of just 47 runs.

Playing their first match of the season under coach Monty Desai, the hosts needed just 9.3 overs to reach the target without losing a wicket.

Sandeep Pattnaik was Odisha’s leading scorer with 65, while Ninad Rathva made 53. However, the rest of the batting order failed to offer sustained resistance as Desai claimed his 16th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.

Left-arm pacer Arzan Nagwaswalla also played a key role in Gujarat’s triumph, finishing the match with six wickets, including three for 33 in Odisha’s second innings.

SHARE POINTS JHARKHAND, KERALA

The Group C match between Jharkhand and Kerala in Jamshedpur ended in a draw with Jharkhand securing three points after taking the lead in the first innings.

Jharkhand all-rounder Utkarsh Singh was named the player of the match after an impressive all-round performance. He scored 71 runs and took five wickets during the match.

MAHARASHTRA WIN BIG

Meanwhile, Maharashtra secured a 127-run victory over Services in the other Group C match played in Delhi. On the final day of the match in Delhi, it was Vicky Ostwal who spun the net around the services and picked up five wickets for 50 runs.

Ostwal received support from Siddhesh Veer and Hitesh Walunje, who took three and two wickets each, as the Services were bundled out for 120 in the second innings, chasing a target of 248 runs.

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