Pacers Rajpoot, Ahmed ensure first innings lead for UP

Pacers Ankit Rajpoot (5/37) and Imtiaz Ahmed (4/39) wrecked havoc with the new ball to bundle out Madhya Pradesh for 115 and ensure a vital 135 runs first innings lead for Uttar Pradesh on the third and penultimate day of a Group B Ranji Trophy match, here today.
Rajpoot and Ahmed used the favourable cold and misty conditions at the Green Park stadium to perfection to bowl out MP for the paltry score in their first essay in reply to UP's 250 after the second day's play was called off yesterday without a single ball being bowled due to bad weather.

Resuming their innings at four for no loss, MP batsmen found the duo of Rajpoot and Ahmed tough to handle as wickets fell like nine pins before the visitors were bowled out in 47.1 overs.
Anand Bais top-scored for MP with a 45-ball 28 followed by Mohnish Mishra (22).
Apart from Rajpoot and Ahmed, leg-spinner Amit Mishra (1/25) picked up the other wicket for UP.
At stumps, UP were 78 for three in their second innings, thereby extending their overall lead to 213 runs.

Skipper Suresh Raina was batting on 41 and giving him company was Mohammad Kaif on four.

For MP, fast bowler Puneet Datey scalped two wickets for 34 runs while Ishwar Pandey (1/22) was the other beneficiary.
Brief Scores:
UP: 250 & 78 for three in 24 overs (Suresh Raina 41 batting; Puneet Datey 2/34).
MP: 115 all out in 47.1 overs (Anand Bais 28; Ankit Rajpoot 5/37, Imtiaz Ahmed 4/39).