Ranji Trophy: Bengal cricketers Manoj Tiwary, Ashok Dinda gear for 100th first-class appearance

Raipur: Bengal skipper Manoj Tiwary and senior speedster Ashok Dinda will be playing their coveted 100th first-class game when the side takes on Chhattisgarh in its second Group D encounter of the Ranji Trophy. “Personally, for me 100 is just a number. I will go out and play with the same intensity that I had when I made my debut. It feels good to play 100 first-class matches because so many people have shown faith in my abilities. I am grateful to God and these friends and seniors for being by my side. This makes the game special,” said Tiwary. [caption id=“attachment_1778651” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary. AFP[/caption] Tiwary, who has stacked up over 7000 runs against his name with 23 hundreds in first class cricket, expressed his gratitude to parent body CAB, friends and family. “When I was young, I always wanted to play Ranji Trophy for Bengal. So when I got a chance to represent Bengal, I was happy. A lot of people had been a part of this journey. My parents, for their sacrifices, my brother for constant encouragement and my wife, who is my biggest inspiration. I should also mention my coach Manabendra Ghosh without whose guidance, I would not have achieved anything. “I also want to thank all my captains – Sourav Ganguly, Devang Gandhi, Rohan Gavaskar, Deep Dasgupta and Laxmi Ratan Shukla, who guided me and helped me become a better cricketer and sportsman,” he said. Dinda on his part said: “It’s an emotional and nostalgic moment for me. I would like to thank everyone who stood by me and had faith in my abilities. Especially Atal Sir, who has been my guide and mentor all these years. “It is a great honour to lead Bengal’s attack for all these years. Tomorrow (Sunday), that way is a special day when I get on to the ground. Thank you all once again for being by my side,” he said. The duo will be presented with a cheque of Rs 1 lakh each by CAB secretary Avishek Dalmiya before the start of the match.