In a high scoring East Zone Ranji Trophy one day league match, Bengal defeated Orissa by 26 runs at the Barabati stadium in Cuttack on Friday. Put in to bat, Bengal scored 276 for five in 50 overs. The highlight was a 101-run third wicket partnership off 20 overs between opener Nikhil Haldipur (92) and Rohan Gavaskar (77 not out). While Haldipur faced 121 balls and hit eleven fours, the left handed Gavaskar faced 98 balls and hit three of them to the ropes.

Orissa went down with guns blazing, despite a poor start wherein they lost three wickets for 51 runs. Medium pacer Sumit Panda took all the three wickets. RR Parida (85) and P Mallick (30) initiated the recovery process by adding 61 runs for the fourth wicket off 13.2 overs and then Parida and P Jaychandra (58) increased the score by 75 runs during a fifth wicket partnership that lasted 13.2 overs. This was followed by a sixth wicket partnership of 41 runs in 5.2 overs between Jaychandra and Robin Morris (24). But the tail were not up to it and Orissa were all out for 250 in 48.5 overs. Parida faced 105 balls and hit nine fours while Jaychandra faced only 60 balls with four hits to the ropes. Panda finished with four for 44.

© CricInfo