Bengal's most potent match winner Ashok Dinda rose to the occasion when it mattered the most as his five-wicket burst ensured a 43-run win against Railways in a Ranji Trophy Group A league encounter here on Sunday.
Needing 119 runs on the final day with five wickets in hand to reach a victory target of 315, Railways could manage 271 in 93.2 overs largely due to Dinda' s 5/67.
Bengal are now firmly on course for a knockout berth with 15 points in their kitty with two outright wins and three points by virtue of first innings lead in a drawn match.
En route his 20th five-wicket haul in first class cricket, Dinda also completed a match haul of 10 wickets (10/112) having taken 5/45 in first innings.
It was a tricky final day as Mahesh Rawat (34) and skipper Karn Sharma (54 not out) came out to bat. The score was 186 for five and the second new ball was just an over old.
Using the conditions and his ability to hit the deck hard to perfection, Dinda employed a fuller length which did the trick.
First to go was Rawat who got a delivery that caught him plumb in-front. Once the 54-run stand came to an end, the floodgates opened as Dinda demolished the lower half in an unchanged 6.2 over spell.
While Karn chanced his arm at the other end, there was no support for him. Amit Mishra (5) edged an away going delivery to skipper Manoj Tiwary in the slips. Dipak Bansal (1) nicked one to Wriddhiman Saha.
Anureet Singh (10) and Karan Thakur (1) were then cleaned up as it turned out to be a perfect match for Bengal pace trio led by Dinda. Youngsters Amit Kuila and Sayan Ghosh got five wickets apiece as the three pacers bagged all 20 wickets in the match.
Delhi take home 3 points
Mohali: Odisha finished at 274 for eight in their second innings as Delhi failed to garner bonus points after their Group B Ranji Trophy cricket match ended in a tame draw, here on Sunday.
Delhi pocketed three points from the drawn affair by virtue of their first innings lead, while Odisha had to be contend with just a point.
Resuming their second essay at the overnight score of 109 for four, Odisha Biplab Samantray made a patient 88 off 221 balls with the help of 11 boundaries to amass the 274 run score in 133 overs.
Besides Samantray, wicket-keeper Saurabh Rawat hit 55 off 189 balls and together with the former shared 134 runs for the sixth wicket stand in the final day of the match.
Fit-again Ishant Sharma (3/51) picked up three wickets for Delhi.
Earlier, Delhi declared their first innings at 495 for eight in reply to Odisha's 237 all out.
Yuvraj slams double ton
New Delhi: Skipper Yuvraj Singh notched up a fine double century as Punjab surpassed Baroda's huge first-innings total with ease to collect three points from their Group A Ranji Trophy cricket match here on Sunday.
Punjab secured three points, as against Baroda's one, on the basis of taking the first-innings lead at the Feroz Shah Kotla on the fourth and final day of the high-scoring game.
Owing to the out-of-favour India all-rounder Yuvraj's 260, his second century of the season, and opener Manan Vohra's 224, Punjab piled up a mammoth 670 before being bowled out.
Even as the match headed for a draw, Baroda batted a second time and scored 37 for no loss in 14 overs before it was called off.