Ritwik guides Bengal to 284/7 against Punjab on Day 1

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 1

Skipper Ritwik Roy Chowdhury scored a patient 97 and added 77 runs for the seventh wicket in company of Sheryan Chakraborty to help Bengal score 284/7 on the opening day of their Col CK Nayudu Match against Punjab at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground in Kalyani after the hosts were in a spot of bother at 192/6.  

At the close of day’s play, Chakraborty was batting on 33 and giving him company at the other end was Kanshik Seth on eight.  

Put in to bat, the hosts had a decent beginning to their innings as Sudip Kumar Gharami and Ankur Paul added 50 run for the opening wicket. The duo was separated when Paul was run out by Gurwinder Bhullar on 25.   

Gharami went on to complete his half-century before he was caught by Himanshu Sharma off Akul Pandove on 58.

Saurabh Singh was dismissed by Harpreet Singh Brar on nine, while Kazi Junaid Saifi, who was looking good at 34, became Pandove’s second victim as the visitors struck twice in seven balls to reduce Bengal to 127/4.

Chowdhury and Subham Chaterjee added 44 runs for the fifth wicket before Pandove struck once again for the visitors in the 52nd over of the day. 

Chaterjee, after facing 21 balls for his nine, was deceived by the off-spinner in flight and Anmol Malhotra whipped off the bails in a flash to send him back to the pavilion.      

Arif Ansari, who joined Chowdhury at the fall of Chaterjee’s wicket, was cleaned up by Ikjot Singh Thind on seven.   

The skipper then found a reliable ally in Chakraborty and together they pushed the total to 269 runs. The 77-run partnership between the two came to end after Chowdhury was caught by wicketkeeper Malhotra off Arshdeep Singh three runs short of a century.

Chakraborty and Seth then batted out the remaining four overs of the day and ensured that the hosts do not suffer any further damage. 

For Punjab, Pandove claimed 3/74, while Arshdeep (1/33), Ikjot Thind (1/48) and Harpreet Brar (1/94) took a wicket each.