Ranji Trophy: Bengal go top of Group A as Odisha are bowled out for 37

Dinda's second innings figures of 7-19 swung the match in Bengal's favour

Odisha recorded the lowest score of the 2015/16 Ranji season as they were bowled out for 37, in pursuit of Bengal’s target of 170 on day two at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground in Kalyani. Four separate bowlers took a five-wicket haul in each innings in a game that was dominated by the ball.

Bengal, who began the day on 23/0 in their second innings, started briskly but collapsed from 102/2 to 135 all out, as five players were dismissed for a duck. But the target was enough as the visitors recorded their second-lowest total in Ranji history.

After winning the toss, Bengal decided to bat and captain Manoj Tiwary looked to have made the wrong call, as the hosts lost their first wicket in the second over. By the time Tiwary was out, they were reeling at 21/3.

Bengal’s opener Abhimanyu Easwaran looked to be batting on a different pitch from the rest of the batsmen, as he stood tall while the wickets kept falling in a heap. Although Shreevats Goswami and Aamir Gani provided him with some support, it didn’t last for too long.

At 96/9 it looked as though the hosts might struggle to get past 100. But Easwaran marshalled the strike beautifully and got the score up to 142, before he was dismissed 12 short of a well-deserved century.

Left-arm spinner Dhiraj Singh was the pick of the bowlers for the visitors, as he finished with figures of 58/5. Unfortunately, their batsmen didn’t make the most of the advantage as they were bundled out before the end of day one.

Only four batsmen got to double digits and it was spin, which once again proved to be decisive as the hosts took a lead of 35. Gani, who earlier made a handy contribution with the bat, picked up 6 wickets to dimiss Odisha for 107.

Although three of Bengal’s top three got starts, none of them converted as they collapsed in a heap thanks mainly to Basant Mohanty’s five-wicket haul. But Odisha’s batsmen ensured that that didn’t matter as they recorded their second-lowest score in Ranji Trophy, only two better than the 35 they managed against Bihar in 1958/59.

Ashok Dinda was the wrecker in chief in the second innings, as he finished with figures of 7/19, to become the fourth different bowler to take a five-wicket haul in the match and helped his side go top of Group A with 26 points.

While pitches that suit spinners aren’t uncommon, especially in the Ranji Trophy, what was surprising about this match was that the two five-wicket hauls taken on the second day was by seam bowlers, whereas the two on day one was by spinners.

Given it is unlikely that this pitch was a rank turner on day one and a green seamer on day two, the finger must be pointed at the batsmen. For no one, barring Easwaran, who scored just 17 fewer than Odisha did in both their innings combined, had the patience or technique to stay for the long haul.

Bengal (toss) 142 (Easwaran 88, Dhiraj 5-58) and 135 (Easwaran 39, Mohanty 5-16) beat Odisha 107 (Gani 6-34) and 37 (Dinda 7-19) by 133 runs in Kalyani(WB).

37 by Odisha - Lowest total of this Ranji season eclipsing Jharkhand's 45 against Services. @ranjiscores

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) November 24, 2015