Players Details
Fixture & Results
Bengal demolish Andhra by four wickets
25th February 2017
A stylish unbeaten 46 from Anustup Majumdar and a matured 66 from Sreevats Goswami ensured full points for Bengal in the opening game of the Vijay Hazare meet against Andhra in Chennai today.
Sreevats Goswami carried his form from the shortest format of the game and played an innings of maturity and command as Bengal easily scaled Andhra’s 225 for 8 in 48.5 overs reaching 226 with four wickets in hand.
Earlier, Andhra won the toss and elected to bat on the dead track of IC Gurunanak College Ground, but it was the Bengal bowlers who made the most of the decision. Pragyan Ojha introduced early in the match made two vital breakthroughs removing K S Bharat and G H Vihari to peg Andhra back. However, it was Ishan Porel who did the first damage Prashanth Kumar. Ashoke Dinda came back in his second spell and bagged two more wickets to ensure Andhra remained stuck in their sorry state.
However,the day belonged to all-rounder Anustup Majumdar, who took two vital wickets of Ricky Bhui and D Chaitanya striking body blows to any hope that Andhra had to revitalise their innings. And when it came the turn for Bengal to bat he remained unbeaten on 46 off just 42 deliveries to make sure Bengal was home and dry easily.
“It is a comeback for Anustup. I want to congratulate the selectors for bringing him in. He has shown that experience has value. He has batted well in the middle order and also bowled well. I hope he carries this form. But having said that I would like to add that the team’s morale is high and they are playing to win and everyone is contributing,” Manoj said.
Skipper Manoj Tiwari (38) and A Eswaran (33) got good starts but failed to convert them into big innings. However,the team looked in good nick and played as a winning unit.
“We are happy that we have won easily. But we are not complacent. We will sit soon and discuss how to improve on the little areas we have lagged behind. We want to bring home good results and live up to the faith,” Manoj added.
CAB MEDIA DESK
