Bengal lose plot

After gaining a vital 46-run first innings lead, Bengal succumbed to Andhra bowling and were reeling at 144 for 8 on the penultimate day of the Elite Group 'A' Ranji Trophy match in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.

Resuming at 160 for 8 in reply to Bengal's first innings score of 234, hosts ended up their innings at 188 with Md Faiq scoring a useful 25. Murtaza Lodhgar, Sourasish Lahiri and Ranadeb Bose were the main wicket takers.

Bengal's second essay started on a disastrous note with R V Ch Prasad trapping opener Deepdas Gupta (1) early. The visitors were soon reduced to 72 for five before Subhomoy Das played some sensible cricket and picked up runs from loose deliveries.

He added 30 runs for the sixth wicket with L R Shukla and was dismissed after playing a cautious knock of 30 off 113 balls with the help of three fours.

Sanjeeb Sanyal, the other batsman to defy the Andhra bowlers, was unbeaten on 24 compiled from 125 balls he faced during his 165 stay at the wicket. Sabir Ali (1) was giving company to Sanyal when stumps were drawn.

For hosts, speedster K S Shabuddin and skipper Venugopala Rao claimed two wickets each.