Hosts Punjab put up a stellar show as they notched up their second successive bonus point as they thrashed a listless Bengal by an innings and 27 runs in a second round Ranni Trophy match here on Monday.
Starting the day at 25 for one, Bengal were all out for 226 in 65 overs with Laxmi Ratan Shukla and Wriddhiman Saha again trying to put up a fight with scores of 91 not out and 57 respectively. While Bengal scored 326 in their first essay, Punjab had scored a mammoth 579 for eight declared. The moment Wriddhiman's 197-minute vigil ended being bowled off left-arm spinner Bipul Sharma, Bengal's resistance ended with tail showing no signs trying to complement Shukla who was taking the attack back to the opposition camp.
Shukla got his runs off only 83 balls with 12 fours and four sixes. From 213 for six, the last four wickets fell for only 13 runs.
However the problem was not with the lower order as much as it was with the top-order. Needing to bat 90 overs in the day to atleast get a point, it was an abject surrender by Bengal's top-order who lacked the requisite match-saving temperament. Within the first hour of play, Bengal were reduced to 39 for five and the match as a contest was over. Skipper Manoj Tiwary (30) along with Wriddhiman added 63 runs for the sixth wicket and Wriddhiman-Shukla partnership yielded 111 runs.
Starting the day at 25 for one, Bengal were all out for 226 in 65 overs with Laxmi Ratan Shukla and Wriddhiman Saha again trying to put up a fight with scores of 91 not out and 57 respectively. While Bengal scored 326 in their first essay, Punjab had scored a mammoth 579 for eight declared. The moment Wriddhiman's 197-minute vigil ended being bowled off left-arm spinner Bipul Sharma, Bengal's resistance ended with tail showing no signs trying to complement Shukla who was taking the attack back to the opposition camp.
Shukla got his runs off only 83 balls with 12 fours and four sixes. From 213 for six, the last four wickets fell for only 13 runs.
However the problem was not with the lower order as much as it was with the top-order. Needing to bat 90 overs in the day to atleast get a point, it was an abject surrender by Bengal's top-order who lacked the requisite match-saving temperament. Within the first hour of play, Bengal were reduced to 39 for five and the match as a contest was over. Skipper Manoj Tiwary (30) along with Wriddhiman added 63 runs for the sixth wicket and Wriddhiman-Shukla partnership yielded 111 runs.