Manoj Tiwary apologises to fans after Bengal lose to Saurashtra in Ranji Trophy final
Saurashtra won Ranji Trophy 2022-23 (Source: Twitter)
Jaydev Unadkat’s match winning six-wicket haul early on day four helped Saurashtra clinch their second Ranji Trophy title, beating Bengal in the final by nine wickets at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
After winning the toss on day one, Saurashtra bowled Bengal out for a meagre 174 and went on to put up a total of 404 with the bat, taking a big first innings lead of 230 runs.
Manoj Tiwary-led Bengal fought back hard in their second innings, finishing with a score of 169 for four on day three.
However, the hosts could not get the momentum going on day four and got wrapped up for 241, leaving Saurashtra with a paltry 12-run target to win.
Bengal did manage to get a wicket in Jay Gohil for a duck, but it was a matter of formality for Saurashtra, as Harvik Desai scored the winning runs to complete a domestic double for his side this season.
Speaking after the final defeat, Bengal skipper Manoj Tiwary acknowledged the way Saurashtra performed in the final and won their second title in history.
"Great season for us. I want to congratulate Jaydev Unadkat and his team. I want to thank the BCCI for releasing him for this match. They set the precedent."
Tiwary further reflected on how things kept going away from Bengal, right from the word go on the first day of the final.
"It all started on day one when we lost the toss. There was moisture on the wicket. After that, we were never in the game. Sorry to all Bengal cricket lovers. It was heartening to see the way bowlers bowled."
Bengal’s wait for Ranji Trophy title continued as they finished second in the final for the fifth time since their last silverware in 1989-90 season.
 "Kaushik Kashyap")
