Emotions welled up inside Saurashish Lahiri when Akash Deep, the latest Bengal speed merchant to enter Indian dressing room, rang him up.
Pacers Mohammed Shami and Ashok Dinda shared seven wickets between them to trigger a collapse that saw Bengal beat Tamil Nadu by 77 runs and storm into the semi-finals of the Vijay Hazare One-Day tournament.
After a first wicket partnership of 60 between Vivek and Shreevats Goswami (27, 28 balls, 3 fours), the home team faltered as none of the other batsmen got going.
Mayank Agarwal blasted 162 to help Karnataka demolish Andhra Pradesh in a South Zone match of the Vijay Hazare National One Day Championships in Secunderabad, on Friday.
A few proven, but currently out-of-form, cricketers are likely to get the nod when the national selectors draw up a list of 30 Indian probables for the upcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in Mumbai on Thursday.
Out-of-favour India openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir found some form going their way as Delhi got the better of Himachal Pradesh by six wickets in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 match for North Zone in Mohali on Tuesday. Sehwag smashed 42 off 32 balls, while the left-handed captain Gambhir scored a 40-ball 41, helping Delhi complete the chase of 134 with 10 deliveries to spare at the Punjab Cricket Association stadium.
Round-up of the Ranji Trophy matches being played in different parts of the country
Round-up of the Ranji Trophy matches being played in different parts of the country.
A summary of the day's play in the Ranji Trophy matches at various venues across the country.
A summary of the first day's play in the Ranji Trophy matches at various venues across the country.
Round-up of the Ranji Trophy games being played across the country