KOLKATA: If Bengal were expected to exact revenge against Saurashtra for their defeat in the Ranji Trophy final last year, it wasn’t going to happen on Thursday. The Anustup Majumdar-led team crashed by a massive 149 runs, this time in the Elite Group E Vijay Hazare Trophy match at the JU Salt Lake campus ground.
The hosts’ performance went from bad to worse as their second straight defeat all but buried their hopes of making the knockout round in the tournament.
For the first time in the tournament, Bengal skipper Majumder won the toss and put the rivals in. But the Bengal bowlers once again failed to come good as Saurashtra got off to a fluent start with opener Avi Barot and Prerak Mankad sharing a 115-run third-wicket stand.
After the former fell for a well-made 83 off 90 balls, Arpit Vasavada walked in to torment Bengal. The middle-order batsman, who hit a century (106) against Bengal in the Ranji final, smashed 91 off just 59 balls with eight boundaries and three sixes.
Majumder employed seven bowlers, including himself, but could not prevent Saurashtra from putting up a huge 324 for nine.
Saurashtra skipper Jaydev Unadkat struck early, clean bowling Shreevats Goswami with the second ball of the innings. Bengal could never recover from there and folded up for 175 only in 37 overs. Except for former skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran, opening with Goswami, who scored a patient 44 and Kaif Ahmed (37), none of the batsmen could stay in the middle for long.
Brief scores: At JU campus, Salt Lake: Saurashtra 324/9 in 50 overs (A Barot 83, AVasavada 91; I Porel 3-71). Bengal 175 in 37 overs (A Easwaran 44, K Ahmad 37). Saurashtra won by 149 runs.