Vineet Saxena's unbeaten ton puts Rajasthan in control vs Bengal in Ranji Trophy
At the close of play Rajasthan were 222/6 with Vineet Saxena 110 not out and Ramesh Powar batting on 9.
Opener Vineet Saxena remained unbeaten on 110 to guide hosts Rajasthan to 222 for the loss of six wickets at stumps on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Group B match against Bengal, here on Thursday.
Saxena found the fence 14 times during his marathon 259-ball vigil at the crease.
Put in to bat, Rajasthan had a terrible start as the lost opener Sourabh Chouhan for a duck in the last ball off the innings' opening over by Ashok Dinda.
But Saxena and Robin Bist (44) stabilised Rajasthan's innings with a 96-run second wicket partnership before the later was caught by Dinda off off-spinner Saurasish Lahiri's bowling just six runs short of his fifty.
Both Ashok Menaria (4) and skipper Hrishikesh Kanitkar (7) failed to deliver and became right-arm pacer Shib Sankar Paul's victims.
Saxena and Rajesh Bishnoi (25) then shared a crucial 48-run fifth-wicket stand to take Rajasthan forward.
Bishnoi was the next to depart as he edged a Sandipan Das delivery straight to Wriddhiman Saha behind the stumps.
Next in, Dishant Yagnik (6) too found the going tough and became Lahiri's second victim of the day.
At the close of play, Ramesh Powar (9 not out) was giving Saxena company at the crease.
Lahiri was the pick of the bowlers for Bengal with figures of two for 24, while Shib Sankar Paul gave away 41 runs for his two scalps.
Brief Scores:
Bengal 1st innings: 222 for six in 87 overs (Vineet Saxena 110 not out; Saurasish Lahiri 2/24).