Bengal on verge of Ranji final after batting Madhya Pradesh out of the game

Bengal 438 and 279 for 9 (Majumdar 80, Pramanik 60*, Jain 6-103) lead Madhya Pradesh 170 (Jain 65, Akash Deep 5-42) by 547 runs

It's fair to assume Madhya Pradesh will not have a chance to defend their Ranji title in 2022-23. That's because Bengal, the team they beat in the semi-final during their victorious run last year, have now batted them out of the contest at Holkar Stadium, in their own conditions.

If pocketing a 268-run first-innings lead wasn't big enough, Bengal ensured they batted right through the fourth day to run MP ragged. They ended on 279 for 9, ahead by a mammoth 547 runs at stumps.

Anustup Majumdar, who made 120 in the first-innings, top-scored in the second dig too. His 219-ball 80 blunted MP's threat even as wickets fell around him. The base was set during the course of an 85-run stand with Sudip Kumar Gharami, who made 41, before Bengal lost a clutch of wickets.

Bengal, however, found some resistance from the lower order, with Pradipta Pramanik making his maiden first-class half-century. Pramanik, playing only his fourth game this season, was unbeaten on 60. He had Ishan Porel for company as the last-wicket pair batted out nearly 14 overs for 56 runs, of which Porel scored just a solitary run.

Kumar Kartikeya, the left-arm spinner, did much of the bowling for MP. He toiled away for 46 overs that brought him three wickets. Spin accounted for 88 of the 119 overs Bengal faced, with offspinning allrounder Saransh Jain, one of the few bright spots with the bat for MP in this match, picking up 6 for 103.