Ranji Trophy: Prasanth keeps alive UP`s hope against TN

Meerut: Opener Mukul Dagar and Prashant Gupta scored a fifty each to lift Uttar Pradesh to 171 for five in their first innings in reply to Tamil Nadu`s 297 at the close of second day`s play in a Ranji Trophy Group B match, here on Friday.

Dagar made fine 69 off 138 deliveries before he was caught by Laxmipathy Balaji off left-arm othodox bowler R Aushik Srinivas. He found the fence 11 times during his knock. Apart from Dagar, Gupta was the other UP batsmen who showed some teeth with an unbeaten 55 off 156 balls. He decorated his innings with five boundaries and one six. At stumps, wicket-keeper Eklavya Dwivedi was giving Gupta company at the crease on five with UP still needing 126 runs to overhaul Tamil Nadu`s first innings score. Earlier resuming at the 258 for seven, overnight centurion Ramaswamy Prasanna (118) added just 14 runs to his score while Aswin Crist (58) managed just four becoming right-arm pacer Imtiaz Ahmed`s victims. R P Singh (3/64) then clean bowled last man Sunil Sam to drew curtains to Tamil Nadu`s innings. Brief Score: Tamil Nadu 1st innings: 297 all out in 107 overs (Ramaswamy Prasanna 118, Baba Aparajith 60, Aswin Crist 58; Imtiaz Ahmed 4/79, RP Singh (3/64). Uttar Pradesh 1st innings: 171 for five in 68 overs (Mukul Dagar 69, Prasanth Gupta 55 not out; R Aushik Srinivas (2/33).