Punjab force follow on to UP; Marashtra take lead over Mumbai

Jamshedpur, Nov 9 (UNI) Punjab were eyeing an outright win over Uttar Pradesh after asking them to follow on while Maharashtra took a vital 65 runs first innings lead against Mumbai on the penultimate day of their three-day Elite group matches of the Cooch Behar trophy (Under-19) here today.

Resuming at overnight score 370 for five, Punjab were all out for 418 in the first innings. Uttar Pradesh's medium pacer H Ahmed returned with four for 70.

In reply, despite a heroic century (126 off 133 balls,13x4,8x6) by Ankit Tiwari UP batsmen failed miserably before some superb bowling of Karan Veer Singh (60 for 4) and Sumit Kaliya (21 for 3) and were all out for 198. Besides Ankit, Subodh Srivastava was second highest scorer (11).

Taking 220 runs first innings lead, Punjab asked UP to follow on and at stumps UP were 21 for no loss in their second essay.

In another match, Maharashtra were limping at 187 for 7 in their first inning agaisnt Mumbai, who were all out 122 yesterday. But Maharashtra took all important 65 runs lead.

Srikant Mundhe was the top scorer (56) for Maharashtra while Pravin Deshetty and Nikhil Paradkar scored 33 and 32 respectively.

Dhaval Kulkarni bagged three wickets giving away 50 runs.

Brief score:Punjab (1st innings) 418 all out UP: (1st innings) 198 all out (A Tiwari 126).

(2nd innings) 21 for no loss Mumbai (1st innings) 122 all out Maharashtra (1st innings) 187 for 7.

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