Bengal too strong for Tripura

The BCCI has appointed match referees even for domestic tournaments. There is one in Calcutta to supervise the ongoing one-day Ranji Trophy fixtures in the East Zone. However, it is not known what report Anil Sen from Himachal Pradesh will give on the match that took place between Bengal and Tripura at the Eden Gardens today. For the record, Bengal won easily by nine wickets. However, when Tripura bowled, every other bowler seemed to be chucking. The ICC has always been strict on `chuckers'. However, in Indian cricket, chuckers are aplenty. That is mainly because, the match referees and the umpires refuse to enforce the laws of the game. It was very difficult to judge a single legal delivery from the two Tripura off-spinners Saurav Dasgupta and Sanjoy Bose. They bowled 15.4 overs amongst themselves without the umpires calling a single no-ball. Had Bengal lost, there would have been a hue and a cry. But why bother about the laws when the game has been won?

Bengal put Tripura in to bat and restricted them to 152 for nine at the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club Ground. The visitors managed to reach their modest total because of a fifth wicket stand of 80 runs between Chetan Sachdev and Rajib Dutta. The former batted quite fluently and even hit left-arm spinner Shiv Sagar Singh over long on for the only six of the match. However, in going for a non-existent single, Sachdev was run out for 51 (96b, 3x4, 1x6). The highlight of the Bengal fielding were two catches by Nikhil Haldipur. He took a brilliant diving catch at gully of medium pacer Shibshankar Pal to send back Saurav Dasgupta. Then he took another one, running behind for at least 30 metres from mid off to long-off to send back Sajjad Hussain. The spoils were shared mainly by the medium pacers. Shibshankar Pal took three wickets while debutant Sanjiv Sanyal and Lakshmi Ratan Shukla had two apiece. Sanyal was however guilty of bowling seven no-balls.

Bengal reached the target for the loss of Arijit Bose in 31.4 overs to romp home by nine wickets. The non-inclusion in the first two Ranji Trophy four day matches seems to have done a world of good for Haldipur. He showed that while remaining unbeaten on 87 with 14 boundaries. The trademark drives through the covers had returned. With compatriot Arijit Bose, Haldipur put on 119 runs for the first wicket to take the game away from Tripura. Bose got out giving a return catch to Saurav Dasgupta. He was beaten in flight while attempting a drive and lobbed a simple catch back to the bowler. Debutant Sanjiv Sanyal who bowled with a lot of bustle and Haldipur got the remaining runs with elan.