Saurasish Lahiri picked up four wickets

Calcutta: Harshad Khadiwale played a captain’s knock Thursday to help Maharashtra take a 159-run lead against Bengal in their Ranji Trophy Super League encounter in Pune.

The hosts were 305 for seven in their second innings at the end of the third day’s play. Bengal made 325 in their first essay in reply to Maharashtra’s 179.

Opener Khadiwale made a 146-ball 114 and, along with Rohit Motwani’s unbeaten 59, formed the backbone of the Maharashtra innings. Khadiwale’s innings was comprised of 16 boundaries.

Resuming from the overnight 46 without loss, Maharashtra lost their first wicket in Rohan Bhosale (33) with the score at 99.

But Ameya Shrikhande (9), Kedar Jadhav (2) and Sangram Atitkar fell cheaply as off-spinner Saurasish Lahiri triggered a mini collapse. He was ably supported by medium pacer Ranadeb Bose.

Ranadeb, who had claimed five in the first innings, picked up the wickets of Harshad, Atitkar and Azhar Ansari (12). Though the Pune wicket looks excellent for batting, credit must be given to the ever consistent Ranadeb for making optimum use of the low bounce in the track.

Saurasish picked up for four 87 and in the process clinched his 200th wicket in first class cricket.

But Motwani, with the help of Ganesh Gaikwad (43), arrested the slide and took the home side towards a decent total. Motwani’s 137-ball innings comprised of seven boundaries.

With no devil in the track, it all depends on who dominates Friday’s morning session. If Bengal manage to get rid of the Maharashtra tail quickly, there’s no reason why Laxmi Ratan Shukla and company shouldn’t return with full points.