ACA president Gautam Roy being introduced to the players of Assam and Bengal before the match in Hailakandi and (below) action during the match. Pictures by Satananda Bhattacharjee

CK Nayudu Trophy

Hailakandi, Nov. 3: Bengal survived a poor start to end the first day of their three-day under-22 CK Nayudu Trophy tie against Assam on a respectable note at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Stadium here today. The visitors, who lost three quick wickets early in the day, amassed 288 for eight in their first innings after being let off the hook by Assam in the middle overs.

Wridhiman Saha (50 off 87 balls) and Sourav Sarkar (9 off 19 balls) were at the crease at draw of stumps on an eventful day that saw Bengal first slump to 42 for three after winning the toss on a sunny day and then recover soon and fast on a pitch of uneven bounce with the middle-order coming good in the nick of time to wrest the initiative from the hosts.

Bengal opener Partha Sarathi Bhattacharjee, who top scored with 63 off 198 balls, and middle-order batsmen Ayan Ghosh (29 off 63 balls), Subhrajit Paul (53 off 76balls), Wridhiman Saha (50 not out)and Ritam Kundu (34 off 38 balls) consolidated the visitors? innings after the early jitters.

For Assam, morning did not show the day. Captain and medium pacer Mrigen Talukdar provided the breakthrough by removing opener M Ziauddin for nought and following it up with the wicket of Soham Ghosh (2 off 18 balls). With the ball swinging quite a bit, his fellow medium pacer too was on target, felling Bengal skipper Anustup Mazumdar. The visiting captain was caught behind for 16 off 15 balls.

However, Assam lost its sting as the day progressed. Spinners Khanin Saikia, Bhaskarjyoti Barman and Gokul Sharma were off colour and the hosts clearly missed the services of medium pacer Dhiraj Goswami and spinner Palashjyoti Das, who failed to turn up for the match despite being named among the 15 members of the state team.

Bengal coach Udaybhanu Banerjee was noticeably relieved at the end of the day?s play and hoped his tailenders would gather some quick runs tomorrow to pile on the pressure on the hosts.

His Assam counterpart Jayanta Choudhury, on the other hand, hoped that the local lads will make amends tomorrow and slash the tail in double-quick time. ?We will try to mop up the tail and go all out for a lead. The target is well within our reach,? he said.

While Bengal had had to share points with Tripura after their earlier match was washed out, Assam had conceded a first innings lead to Jharkhand. Bengal will next play Orissa from November 9 while Assam will clash with Tripura the same day onwards.

Today?s match was attended by Assam Cricket Association president Gautam Roy. Roy, who is also the state social welfare minister, inaugurated the three-storey Santosh Kumar Roy pavilion of the stadium yesterday.

Score: Day I:

Bengal (first innings)

Md Ziauddin c Bhaskarjyoti Barman b Mrigen Talukdar 0 (9)Partha Sarathi Bhattacharjee c Mrigankajyoti Sarma b Khanin Saikia 63 (198)Anustup Mazumdar c Mrigankajyoti Sarma b Kunal Roy 16 (15)Soham Ghosh lbw b Mrigen Talukdar 2 (18)Ayan Nandy c khanin Saikia b Mrigen Talukdar 29 (63)Subhrajit Paul run out (Chandan Rawat) b Mrigen Talukdar 53 (76)Wridhiman Saha not out -- 50 (87)Ritam Kundu c Mrigankajyoti Sarma b Bhaskarjyoti Barman 34 (38)Micheal Behera c Bhaskarjyoti Barman b Mrigen Talukdar 5 (26)Saurav Sarkar not out -- 9 (19)Ashok Dinda (still to bat)

Extras : 27

Fall of wickets : 1/4, 2/29, 3/42, 4/93, 5/185, 6/186, 7/246, 8/269

Total: 288/8 (90 overs at end of first day's play)

Bowling : Mrigen Talukdar 19-5-41-4, Kunal Roy 17-2-54-1, Khanin Saikia19-3-53-1, Gokul Sarma 12-2-55-0, Bhaskarjyoti Barman 21-3-64-1, RehanMazumdar 2-0-7-0

Assam team : Mrigen Talukdar(c), Chandan Rawat, Gokul Sarma, Khanin Saikia,R Jonathan, Mrigankajyoti Sarma (wk), Rahan Mazumdar, Pranjal Tamuli,Bhaskarjyoti Barman, Kunal Roy, Rizvi S Afroz.