All-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed struck his second first-class century before Mohammed Shami delivered a double blow in successive overs as Bengal tightened their hold in pursuit of a fourth consecutive Ranji Trophy Group C win here on Tuesday.
Resuming at 267/4, Bengal built on their overnight position with Shahbaz, who began the third day on 61, settling in quickly alongside Sumanta Gupta as the pair propelled the hosts to a commanding 442 all out.
Bengal dominate as Shahbaz and Shami shine
At stumps on the penultimate day, Assam were 98/3 in their second innings, still 144 runs behind with seven wickets in hand, as Bengal pressed for a second straight bonus-point win. Bengal lead the Group C table with three wins from four matches, two points clear of second-placed Haryana (18).
Shahbaz’s fluent 101 off 122 balls, laced with 11 fours and two sixes, anchored Bengal’s innings. Gupta matched him stroke-for-stroke during their imposing 129-run fifth-wicket stand before Mukhtar Hussain finally broke through, dismissing Shahbaz shortly after he reached his century.
Having returned from injury in the Gujarat match, the spin-bowling all-rounder has been in prolific touch lower down the order. With the bat, he has back-to-back scores of 86 and 51 not out and is now Bengal’s second-highest run-getter this season with 300 runs at an average of 60 from just three matches.
The left-arm spinner has also been among their leading wicket-takers with 18 scalps, including a match haul of eight against Railways that sealed a bonus-point win in their previous match. Only Shami (20 wickets) ranks ahead of him.
While the Bengal top order, including India Test hopeful and skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran (66), once again failed to convert starts, Shahbaz at No. 5 looked in complete command. Gupta also showed fine temperament, adding crucial runs with the lower order, including Rahul Prasad (28 off 48), as Bengal crossed 400.
Gupta fell agonisingly short of a century, dismissed for 97 by Rituraj Biswas (2/40). Shami provided the late flourish with the bat, smashing an 18-ball 14, studded with two fours and a six to push the total past 440.
Assam’s reply began disastrously, with both openers Rishav Das and Pradyun Saikia dismissed without scoring, while No. 3 Swarupam Purkayastha managed just four. Shami struck with the second ball of the innings and removed Purkayastha off the first delivery of his next over, both edging behind. Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal then trapped Saikia LBW after the opener survived 16 balls.
Reduced to 8/3 inside six overs, Assam were steadied by Denish Das and skipper Sumit Ghadigaonkar, who dug in to see off the day. Denish was batting on a fighting 63 off 106 balls with seven fours, while Ghadigaonkar, who top-scored with 61 in Assam’s first innings of 200, was unbeaten on 30 off 100 deliveries. The pair added 90 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket.
Bengal’s key task on the final day will be to break the partnership early as Assam face an uphill battle, still trailing by 144 runs with seven wickets remaining.
(By PTI Inputs)
