Dinesh Karthik (92, 131b, 13x4) came up with a classy effort to bail Tamil Nadu out of trouble against host Bengal in Group A of the Ranji Trophy at the Eden Gardens here on Monday.
Karthik, looking to make a comeback to the Indian team, displayed fine technique and timing in a well-crafted 92 to help Tamil Nadu reach a comfortable 208 for five at stumps on the first day.
He shared a 105-run partnership with captain R. Prasanna for the fifth wicket as Tamil Nadu recovered from an early collapse.
The home side opted to field first on a wicket with substantial grass. The decision paid off initially as Ashoke Dinda generated good pace and kept a tight line that put the visiting team under pressure.
Delayed startThe match started 90 minutes late due to a soggy outfield. Bengal tasted success early as Dinda bowled young opener K. Bharath Shankar in the fifth over.
B. Aparajith faced a similar problem when Dinda came in for his second spell, and the Bengal spearhead got through the defences of the batsman.
Abhinav Mukund (26) was done in by a sharp delivery from Bengal captain Laxmi Ratan Shukla, who induced an edge to wicketkeeper Sreevats Goswami. The visitors’ batting suffered another blow as B. Indrajith was cleaned up by the other Bengal pacer Sourav Sarkar.
At 91 for four in the 33rd over, Tamil Nadu looked in real trouble before Prasanna (35 batting) joined Karthik in resurrecting the innings.
Karthik produced a flawless innings as he drove, cut and pulled with assurance and played the lead role in pulling his team out of a crisis.
Karthik, who scored 129 in the second innings against Madhya Pradesh, seemed to rediscover the felicity, scoring at a healthy strike rate of 70.23.
He looked set for his 21st first class century, but a momentary lapse in concentration undid his effort as he slashed at an outgoing delivery from Dinda to the ‘keeper.
The Bengal pacers produced a disciplined effort, conceding only a leg-bye in the 66 overs bowled in the day.
The scores:
Tamil Nadu — 1st innings: K. Bharath Shankar b Dinda 18, Abhinav Mukund c Goswami b Shukla 26, B. Aparajith b Dinda 26, Dinesh Karthik c Goswami b Dinda 92, B. Indrajith b Sarkar 0, R. Prasanna (batting) 35, R. Sathish (batting) 10; Extras (lb-1): 1; Total (for five wkts. in 66 overs): 208.
Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-69, 3-86, 4-91, 5-196.
Bengal bowling: Ashoke Dinda 19-4-68-3, Sourav Sarkar 16-3-48-1, Pritam Chakraborty 12-4-31-0, Laxmi Ratan Shukla 12-2-33-1, Saurasish Lahiri 7-0-27-0.
