Gharami and Porel unbeaten hundreds give Bengal 64-run first-innings lead
Sudip Gharami and Abishek Porel scored unbeaten centuries to push Bengal into a 64-run first-innings lead over Delhi on the second day of their Ranji Trophy Group-C match at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground on Monday. Bengal ended the day at 304 for three in reply to Delhi’s 240.
The two batsmen compiled an unbroken 199-run partnership, with Gharami on 122 (221b, 17x4) and Porel on 114 (161b, 13x4, 1x6). They occupied the crease for more than two sessions while spinners delivered 36 overs on a slow track as Delhi’s attack persisted in hot and humid conditions.
Bengal’s innings began positively before debutant Ankur Paul was edged to the slips off Navdeep Saini for 17. Captain Abhimanyu Easwaran, who received a blow on his helmet from Simarjeet Singh, was dismissed while chasing a ball off Divij Mehra for 34, and Sudip Chatterjee was caught behind off Ayush Badoni as Bengal reached lunch at 108 for three.
Gharami, 27, carried form from a Duleep Trophy hundred and reached his 10th first-class century; he drove through cover and straight and swept effectively against the spinners. The report notes he had a fortunate escape during his innings and that this was his third consecutive century in three matches played across two seasons at the venue.
Porel, 23, combined drives and pulls on his way to his hundred after waiting about 20 minutes on 99 and receiving two reprieves; his century was his second after a gap of more than two years. The article records that Porel recently spent 36 days behind bars in an alleged rape case and that he burst into tears following an emotional celebration.
Scorecard details: Delhi — 1st innings: 240. Bengal — 1st innings: Abhimanyu Easwaran c Rawat b Mehra 34, Ankur Paul c Doseja b Saini 17, Sudip Gharami (batting) 122, Sudip Chatterjee c Rawat b Badoni 2, Abishek Porel (batting) 114; Extras (b-14, w-1): 15; Total (for three wkts. in 79 overs): 304. Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-84, 3-105. Delhi bowling: Mehra 12-3-34-1, Simarjeet 13-0-56-0, Saini 12-3-44-1, Shokeen 19-0-88-0, Badoni 13-2-37-1, Doseja 4-1-8-0, Lakra 6-0-23-0.
Bengal take a 64-run first-innings advantage in the Group-C fixture with the match continuing after the close of play at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground.
