Maharashtra’s captain Prithvi Shaw celebrates after winning the Ranji Trophy match against Bengal. (PTI Photo)
KOLKATA: Bengal’s unbeaten run in this Ranji season came to a grinding halt as they went down to Maharashtra in an Elite Group ‘C’ match by 10 wickets at Eden Gardens here on Thursday. Maharashtra recorded their second outright victory and by virtue of gaining the maximum seven points from this win, dislodged Bengal from the top to go into the Ranji break as table-toppers with 19 points. Bengal, returning empty-handed from their second home match of this season, are at second spot with 18 points with Gujarat breathing down their neck with 16 points at third place. Resuming at one run ahead of the Maharashtra score, Bengal were bowled out for 186 in 54.4 overs in their second innings, adding just 110 runs while losing their remaining six wickets in less than 31 overs. Openers Shaw and Sachin Dhas took the side home in just 19.4 overs before the tea break by playing some aggressive cricket.
“It’s the way we lost that hurts most,” he said after the match. “We played poor cricket,” he added. “I think our bowlers did both the job for us in the first innings,” he smiled while mentioning the 72-run last-wicket stand between Tanay Sanghavi and Pradeep Dadhe in the first innings. “It was an even match till then, but once we had them (Bengal) four down on Day III, we felt like we could win this match,” he said.
Skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran was candid in admitting that. His counterpart Prithvi Shaw gave full credit to his boys.