Ranji Trophy: Railways in drivers's seat against UP

Uttar Pradesh batting crumbled as the hosts lost their last eight wickets for 95 runs to give Railways first innings lead at stumps on the third day of their Group B Ranji Trophy cricket match.

Ghaziabad: Uttar Pradesh batting crumbled like a pack of cards as the hosts lost their last eight wickets for 95 runs to give Railways the vital first innings lead at stumps on the third day of their Group B Ranji Trophy cricket match here on Saturday.

Resuming their first innings at the overnight score of 160 for two in reply to Railways 37 all out, Uttar Pradesh's middle-order cut a sorry figure in front of Railways' incisive bowling to be bowled out in 103.5 overs.

Overnight batsman Tanmay Srivastava added 18 runs to his yesterday;s tally before being dismissed for 93. Lower down the order leg-spinner Piyush Chawla made a fighting 49 off 85 balls.

Medium-pacer Ranjit Mali (5/88) was the pick of the bowlers for Railways with a five-wicket haul, while Anureet Singh (3/67) and Krishnakant Upadhyay (2/61) were the other wicket takers.

Railways reached 154 for three in 44 overs in their second innings with Faiz Ahmed unbeaten on 62 and opener Ashish Singh making 60 before being dismissed.

Kuldeep Yadav (1/12), Ankit Rajpoot (1/29) and Praveen Kumar (1/47) were the wicket takers for Uttar Pradesh.

Railways, thus, lead Uttar Pradesh by 265 runs with seven wickets in hands and day to spare.

Brief Scores:

Railways 375 & 154 for three in 44 overs (Faiz Ahmed 62 not out, Ashish Singh 60; Kuldeep Yadav 1/12).

Uttar Pradesh 264 all out in 103.5 overs (Tanmay Srivastava 93, Almas Shaukat 76; Ranjit Mali 5/88).