Rohan Banerjee

Mysore: Youngster Rohan Banerjee (107) scored his second first-class century and added 172 runs for the third wicket with stand-in captain Manoj Tiwary (78) as Bengal finished at 252 for five in 90 overs against Karnataka on the first day of their Ranji Trophy Super League (Group B) match at the Gangotri ground in Mysore.

But the visitors could have been in a better position if they hadn’t lost two wickets late in the day.

From 224 for three, Bengal lost Banerjee and Avishek Jhunjhunwala in the 83rd and 88th over respectively.

At stumps, wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha (3 ..) and Shib Sagar Singh (1 ..) were at crease.

The highlight of the Bengal innings was southpaw Banerjee’s performance. Having scored 176 against the Services on debut last season, the opener was a last-minute induction in the squad in the wake of some impressive performances for the U-22 side.

He did well in the pre-season tourneys like Moin-ud Dowlah Gold Cup in Hyderabad and SK Acharya Challenger Trophy in Chandigarh as well.

Put in to bat, Bengal openers Banerjee and Arindam Das (27) added 52 runs for the first wicket before the latter was caught by B. Akhil off pacer Sreesanth Aravind. Aravind then bowled Deep Dasgupta (0) to reduce Bengal to 52 for two.

Tiwary, who was named skipper after Laxmi Ratan Shukla failed a fitness test in the morning, joined Banerjee and steadied the ship.

While Banerjee hit eight boundaries during his 250-ball innings, Tiwary hit seven fours and two sixes in his 169-ball stay. This was Tiwary’s third half century in as many matches.

Tiwary scored an unbteaen 80 for Rest of India against Mumbai and followed it up with an innings of 88 against Maharashtra in Pune. The Bengal captain was out in the 76th over when left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi bowled him.

Banerjee’s six hour and 47 minute effort ended when he was adjudged leg before off leg-spinner Amit Verma. Jhunjhunwala (8) was bowled by medium pacer B. Akhil.

For Karnataka, left-arm medium pacer Sreesanth Aravind snared two for 48.

Former India spinner Sunil Joshi claimed one for 46.

Abhimanyu Mithun and Amit Verma were the other players to chip in with a wicket each.