Dehradun, Jan 5 (Agency) Uttarakhand put up a brave fight but Bengal took a crucial 163-run lead in their second innings at stumps on Day 3 in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group A clash at Abhimanyu Cricket Academy here on Thursday. Abhimanyu Easwaran (24) and Sudip Kumar Gharami (24) remained unbeaten as Bengal reached 48/1 in their second innings at the end of the day. Earlier, Uttarakhand, staged a superb comeback from 48/6 to post 272 in their first innings, thanks to a fighting 136 by Kunal Chandela. For Bengal, Pradipta Pramanik (4-58), Akash Deep (3-63) and Shahbaz Ahmed (3-66) impressed with the ball. Earlier, resuming the day from overnight score of 104/6, Chandela and Akhil Singh Rawat (40) could add only 14 runs in the morning before Shahbaz broke the partnership to reduce the home side to 118/7.
Bengal hoped to bag the remaining three wickets in quick time by Chandela and incoming batsman Abhay Negi (50) had other plans. Despite Bengal bowlers giving in their best to get their second in the morning, Chandela and Negi stood firm, adding a much-needed 128-run partnership for the eighth wicket to bail the home side out of trouble. The vital partnership guided Uttarakhand past the 240-run mark. But the day belonged to Chandela, who brought up his century in style to help his side stage a remarkable comeback. From there on, Bengal bagged the remaining wickets as Uttarakhand folded for 272.