Ranji Trophy: Sudip Chatterjee’s patient knock keeps Bengal afloat on day one

Sudip Chatterjee’s patient knock keeps Bengal afloat on day one

Sudip Chatterjee (78 n.o., 177b, 5x4) was steadfast in his vigil despite losing partners, allowing Bengal to show up and survive on an attritional opening day against Haryana in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match at the Chaudhary Bansi Lal Stadium here on Thursday.

After fog and poor light consumed the entire first session, Chatterjee braved the elements, struck a 120-ball half century, and took Bengal to 168 for five at stumps.

Ironically, however, Chatterjee struck the first two boundaries of the contest – a glide past gully off Aman Kumar and chip over midwicket against Anshul Kamboj. But these were mere aberrations in the opening two hours where shouldering arms was trusted the most.

Abhimanyu Easwaran was quick to learn after Kamboj tempted him outside off and almost extracted an edge.

Spinners came into the fold as early as the eighth over but any purchase or bounce extracted by Amit Rana and Tanmay Baloda was smothered by the opening pair, which put together 61 runs.

Left-arm orthodox Baloda delivered with quick wickets at the stroke of tea. Abhimanyu was first, not quick enough to respond to a ball that skidded through and took an inside edge to second slip. In his next over, Baloda got turn against Sudip Gharami, who poked and was snared at slip.