KOLKATA: Mumbai returned to winning ways - with bonus points to boot - as they thrashed Bengal by an innings and four runs inside three days in the Elite Ranji Group 'B' match at the Eden Gardens here on Sunday.
With four wins in five matches, the 41-time Ranji champions once again extended a huge lead at the top with 27 points.
On the other hand, it was almost curtains for Bengal who have 12 points after five games now.
In the past, the hosts had blamed it on weather for missing out on some crucial points. However, against Mumbai, they were completely outplayed right from Day I. For the second day in succession, the Bengal batters could not last a single day.
It was difficult to understand the team's game plan as preventing an innings defeat seemed to be Bengal's only intent on Day III when Mumbai, enjoying a 213-run first innings lead, forced them to follow on.
Mumbai almost wrapped up the match by the lunch break when they reduced the hosts to 74 for four. Mumbai's hero was none other than Mohit Avasthi, who picked his maiden 10-wicket haul in first-class cricket. It was not that Avasthi rattled the batters with his pace or variations, but the 31-year-old has the great ability to keep coming at you by bowling at the right areas. No doubt he did the maximum damage by returning the figures of seven for 52 in his 16 overs in the second innings.
Avasthi began by picking up both Bengal openers and then clean bowled first-innings centurion Anushtup Majumder at the stroke of lunch. Wicketkeeper-batter Abhishek Porel only stood tall, but once he was played down by Avasthi, Bengal lost five wickets for 26 runs.
Mumbai 412 beat Bengal 199 and 209 in 59.4 overs (Abhishek Porel 82; Mohit Avasthi 7/52) by an innings and 4 runs. Points: Mumbai 7, Bengal 0
