Cricket

Bengal's Anustup Majumdar Century Rescues Team from Early TroubleVeteran Bengal skipper Anustup Majumdar played a pivotal role in steering his team out of early trouble on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Group C match against Karnataka. Opting to bat first, Bengal lost opener Shuvam Dey for a duck and Sudip Gharami for 5, leaving them reeling at 21/2.Majumdar, batting at No. 4, steadied the innings with a crucial partnership with Sudip Chatterjee (50). The 40-year-old captain showcased exceptional control, hitting 16 fours on his way to a century off 157 balls. The pair added 100 runs for the third wicket before Karnataka's Vasuki Koushik dismissed Chatterjee.Majumdar remained unruffled, anchoring the innings with authority while Shahbaz Ahmed provided solid support. However, Majumdar's fine innings came to an end just after his century, trapped lbw by Shreyas Gopal. Avilin Ghosh played a quick counter-attacking knock of 27 before debutant seamer Abhilash Shetty dismissed him.At stumps, Shahbaz was unbeaten on 54, alongside veteran keeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha (6 not out). Bengal finished the day at 249/5, leaving Karnataka with a slight advantage.Jalaj Saxena Creates History with Double MilestoneIn another Group C match, Kerala's Jalaj Saxena became the first player in Ranji Trophy history to achieve the remarkable double of 400 wickets and 6000 runs. The 37-year-old spin-bowling all-rounder claimed 5/56 in 17 overs to cross the 400-wicket milestone, adding to his 6000-run mark achieved last week.Kerala bundled out Uttar Pradesh for a modest 162, with Basil Thampi providing support with 2/18. In reply, Kerala reached 82/2 at stumps, trailing by 80 runs.Madhya Pradesh Dominate Bihar with Centuries from Shubham Sharma and Venkatesh IyerIn Group E, Madhya Pradesh captain Shubham Sharma notched up his second century of the season, while Venkatesh Iyer's explosive ton put his team firmly in command against Bihar. Sharma crafted an unbeaten 134 off 183 balls, while Iyer smashed 118 not out off just 113 balls, featuring four sixes and 11 fours.Their 234-run unbroken stand has placed Madhya Pradesh in a dominant position going into the next day.Punjab Spinners Fox HaryanaIn Group B, rookie spin duo Emanjot Singh Chahal and Jass Inder Singh spun a web around Haryana, sharing seven wickets to bowl out the group leaders for a mere 114. Emanjot took 3/43, while Jass Inder starred with figures of 4/33.In reply, Punjab reached 90/5 at stumps, thanks to Anmolpreet Singh's gritty 45 not out. They trail Haryana by 24 runs heading into the next day.

Bengal will face Bihar in a Ranji Trophy Group-C match at the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) Academy ground in Kolkata, starting Friday. The hosts will be keen to secure full points after a positive start against Uttar Pradesh in their opening match.Despite the absence of pacer Akash Deep due to national duty, Bengal managed a narrow 19-run lead and picked up three crucial points in Lucknow. The team's intent was a big takeaway from the match, and they will look to build on that momentum.Although the Eden Gardens is unavailable for Bengal's next two outings, the Anustup Majumdar-led side will try to make the most of the home conditions at the CAB Academy ground. Centurion openers Sudip Chatterjee and Abhimanyu Easwaran, along with Sudip Gharami, provided assurance with their performances in the previous match.Experienced hands Majumdar, Writtick Chatterjee, and wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel will be eager to contribute with the bat. Wriddhiman Saha is doubtful due to a stiff back.Mukesh Kumar, who captured six wickets in the opening match, led the way for Bengal's pace attack. Mohammed Kaif provided good support, but Mukesh will take rest to manage his workload.Shahbaz Ahmed, who scored 44 runs and took five wickets in the previous match, underlined his worth with both bat and ball and might play a key role again.Bihar, on the other hand, began its Ranji campaign on a disastrous note, suffering an innings defeat against Haryana. The only positive for them was the success of their spin duo, leg-break bowler Himanshu Singh (four wickets) and left-arm spinner Sachin Kumar (three wickets).While Bihar will face an uphill task, the hosts, keeping in mind Thursday's shower, will try to wrap up the match quickly. "There is a bit of uncertainty due to the rain. But we will give our best," said Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla.