Madhya Pradesh pacer Sanjay Pande (not in picture) shatters the stumps of Bihar batsman Shahid Khan on the second day of the Ranji tie in Ranchi. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Ranchi, Nov. 24: Madhya Pradesh tightened their grip on Bihar by taking their lead to 260, with five wickets in hand, at close of play on the second day of the Ranji tie at Mecon stadium today.

Devendra Bundela, 70 not out, and Naman Ojha, 18 not out, took their team to a position of strength — 212 for five wickets. With a first innings lead of 48 runs, the MP team was sitting pretty, with some more batting to come. Naman Ojha had top scored with 58 runs in MP’s first innings.

When the play resumed this morning, Bihar batsmen could add only 44 runs to their overnight score of 41 for five wickets. They were bowled out for 85 in 45 overs. MP pacer Sanjay Pandey, who had taken two wickets for seven runs only on the first day, took five more wickets, that is all the remaining Bihar wickets, to give his side a first innings lead of 48 runs.

That is cricket, with both sides failing to score runs on an easy-paced wicket, though with slightly low bounce. But what must be worrying the Bihar team management is their spineless batting.

When Ranji debutant Mohit Goel (four not out) and skipper Sumit Panda (zero not out) walked out to resume Bihar’s inning, fans expected a fightback, but Panda left soon. Mohit and Mihir Diwakar tried to stem the rot but the former was trapped leg-before-the-wicket by Sanjay Pandey for 19.

Though Mihir was defiant and remained undefeated on 24, Pandey had no trouble in wrapping up the Bihar innings.

Madhya Pradesh lost their opener Sachin Dholpure (four runs) soon as Mihar induced an edge to wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

MP skipper Amay Khurasia, 42 runs, treated the spectators to some spectacular strokeplay, including a sweetly timed six.

In came Abaas Ali, grandson of legendary Mushtaq Ali, to carry on the good work when he drove a flighted off spinner from Mohit Goel uppishly to Sumit Panda at mid-off for a simple catch to be out for 34. Panda returned to the attack to trap N. Patwardhan before the stumps for 11. But Bundela, 70 not out, and Naman Ojha, 18 not out, carried out their skipper Khurasia instructions to keep their wickets intact, resist any temptation for a fancy stroke, faithfully to extend their over all lead to 260, with five wickets still in hand.

Bihar skipper used six bowlers, five of whom took a wicket each, with debutant off spinner Sunny Gupta being the most expensive, conceding 56 runs in 14 overs.

While MP manager Ramesh Bhatia appeared relaxed, the Bihar coach elderly Samir Bose looked worried, who kept moving all over the ground restlessly as he must have realised with every run scored by MP was only adding to Bihar’s challenge.

The players’ attitude was revealed when soon after the day’s play was over, the MP players, including stars like Hirwani and Amay Khurasia, took the field for exercise and some practice, while the Bihar players enjoyed tea and refreshment in the cosy confines of the dressing room.