KOLKATA, Jan 13:
Wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha returning from Australia made his presence felt in domestic cricket when he hit his 9th first class ton today as hosts Bengal scored 312 for loss of 7 wickets on first day against Jammu & Kashmir in Ranji trophy match at Eden Gardens.
Deciding to bat on flat wicket captain Laxmi Ratan Shukla also made his 37th half century in the first class cricket as he fetched 72 runs in 123 balls hitting ten boundaries and a six rendering valuable contribution to the total score.
Thirty-year-old Saha, who returned on Sunday from tour of Australia with Indian cricket team, boosted much to the team morale to his state team for being in the first 11 and then remaining unbeaten on 129 when the stumps were closed for the day.
Bengal were 312/7 in 90 overs with Saha batting 129 and Ashoke Dinda not out on 11. Saha hit 18 boundaries and a six in 202 balls.
Opening bowler Ram Dayal took 2/88, and spinner Parvez Rashool, also took two scalps conceding 57 runs, and M Mudhasir, Waseem Raza and Aamir Aziz shared a wicket each.
Placed at bottom in Group A with 7 points from four matches, Bengal won the toss and decided to bat to take home advantage on the last day of the 4-day match. But their first four batsmen fell cheaply 4/68 before skipper Shukla and wicket-keeper batsman Saha stem the rot.
Abhimanyu Easwaran, who made his first ton in Ranji against Tamil Nadu in previous play, was out on 21 when Dayal took his stumps, Arindam Das (30), Sudip Chatterjee (0), and Manoj Tiwary (9) also could not stand much before the deliveries of both Dayal and Rasool as the home was tottering. But Shukla and Saha held on the pitch and made 144 run in partnership in 5th wicket that led to 312/7 at the end of the day.
J&K, which beat Mumbai last month in Ranji and placed 4th with ten points from five games, introduced two new men- Imran Haroon and SS Pundir. (UNI)
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