Ranji Trophy 2022-23 final: Saurashtra get the lead, Bengal in search of a miracle

Saurashtra extended their dominance over Bengal on Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy 2022-23 final. Arpit Vasavada and company piled runs against a struggling Bengal bowling lineup. At the end of day 2, Saurashtra lead by 143 runs at Eden Gardens and made it tougher for Manoj Tiwary's team to make a comeback in the match.

Saurashtra started Day 2 with night watchman Chetan Sakariya and Harvik Desai on the crease. Mukesh Kumar struck first for Bengal. He trapped Harvik in front after he completed his fifty. Chetan Sakariya did his job well spending the early half an hour of the morning before perishing to Ishan Porel. Saurashtra finished the first session on 148/4 as Bengal tried to make a comeback in the match.

But, post lunch, it was all about Saurashtra who kept on punishing the Bengal bowlers throughout the afternoon session. Akashdeep and Mukesh tried their best but could not manage to trouble Sheldon Jackson and Arpit Vasvada. Both the batters looked solid in their defence. Meantime Jackson took advantage of all the indisciplined line length from Ishan-Mukesh-Akashdeep.

The lone wicket in the second session for Bengal came in the name of Sheldon Jackson. The star batter tried to pull a short ball from Ishan Porel just to manage a top edge. Substitute fielder Pradipta Parmanik took the catch at the square leg. Sheldon departed after scoring 59 from 105 balls.

Saurashtra won the second session after adding 90 runs losing only one wicket. Post tea, Arpit Vasavada continued the good run for his team with all-rounder Chirag Jani at the other end. Bengal's fielding did not support the effort of the bowlers as Shahbaz Ahmed dropped an easy catch of Chirag Jani at fine leg. Chirag was batting on 21 when he top-edged while hooking a bouncer from Mukesh Kumar.

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Arpit completed his fifty and looked effective as ever. Soon, Chirag Jani completed his half-century and kept on piling runs for the visiting team.

Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary took the new ball as soon as it was available but they could not take the advantage of it as well. Saurashtra completed 300 and the Bengal bowlers' struggled to get the opponent out as the pitch looked better for batting even when the day's play was extended.

Umpires' called it a day with Saurashtra's Vasavada not out at 81 and Chirag Jani not out on 57. After this heroics in the semi-final, Vasavad will look to score an important hundred for his team in the Ranji Trophy 2022-23 final. Meanwhile, Bengal bowlers will try to all-out Saurashtra as soon as possible and make a match out of it on Day 3.