Paul puts East on the brink of big win

Bangladesh Cricket Board XI 142 (Paul 6-45) and 123 for 8 trail East Zone 454 for 6 dec (Ganguly 170) by 189 runs
Scorecard

Sourav Ganguly put East Zone in control of the match © Getty Images

Shib Shankar Paul put Bangladesh Cricket Board XI on the verge of a big defeat in their opening game of the Duleep Trophy as East Zone dominated the second day at Nagpur. Paul's six-wicket haul in the first innings skittled out Bangladesh for just 142 and they conceded a massive first-innings lead of 312. It was a similar story in the second innings and Bangladesh struggled to 123 for 8 at stumps.

Mohammad Ashraful, who top-scored with 40 in the first innings, managed only 1 in the second as Bangladesh lost wickets at regular intervals. Saghir Hossain, their wicket-keeper, top-scoring with a modest 34 and both Aftab Ahmed and Alok Kapali, batsmen with Test experience, didn't make too much of an impression.

Paul added two more wickets in the second innings before Sanjib Sanyal, his fellow medium pacer, snapped up three more and had Bangladesh reeling at 44 for 5. Ranadeb Bose, the medium pacer who was the highest wicket-taker in league phase of the Ranji Trophy, claimed two more and put East on the threshold of their first win in the tournament.

Earlier in the day, East, who began on 356 for 5, stretched their score to 454 mainly due to Sourav Ganguly's fine 170. Ganguly, who had missed his side's opening game owing to an injury, smacked 21 fours and four sixes before he was dismissed by Manjural Islam Rana, the left-arm spinner.

With an innings defeat looming, Bangladesh now turn their attention to Jaipur, where they will meet Central Zone on March 1.