Punjab crushed Maharashtra to win by an innings and 238 runs on the third day for their Group B Ranji Trophy Elite Division match at the Punjab Cricket Association stadium, Mohali on Monday. Maharashtra were bowled out for 205 runs in their second innings after Punjab had taken a massive lead of 443 runs in the first innings.

The hosts declared overnight at 566 for 4 , which included an unbeaten 251 by Reetinder Singh Sodhi.

The Punjab bowlers grabbed early wickets, Sodhi again leading the way with the scalp of Niranjan Godbole. Godbole was caught by wicket-keeper Pankaj Dharmani for 10.

Hrishikesh Kanitkar (53) and Kaushik Aphale (83) put up some resistance but the Maharashtra batting line-up collapsed without a grumble. Once Kanitkar was out, with the team score on 147, the Maharashtra innings fell apart.

Punjab 30-year-old left-arm spinner Navdeep Singh wrecked the middle order. He had Kanitkar and Dhruv Mohan out off consecutive balls and then went on to claim the wickets of Iqbal Siddique (0)and Kiran Adhav (10).

Apart from Singh, Ravneet Ricky and Ankur Kakkar claimed two wickets each as the Maharashtra challenge was blown away in 67 overs.

On winning five points from this game, Punjab are now comfortably placed on the top of the table with 11 points, while Maharastra, who were promoted to the Elite Division this year, are yet to open their account.

Scorecard

Maharashtra (1st innings): 123

Punjab (1st innings): 566 for 4 decl overnight

Maharashtra (2nd innings):
D Jadhav c Dharmani b Ricky 22
N Godbole c Dharmani b Sodhi 10
K Marathe b Ricky 1
H Kanitkar c sub b Navdeep Singh 53
K Aphale not out 83
D Mohan c & b Navdeep Singh 0
S Satbhai b Kakkar 0
R Khirid b Kakkar 0
I Siddiqui c Ricky b Navdeep Singh 0
K Adhav c sub b Navdeep Singh 10
A Sanclecha b Uniyal 4

Extras: (lb 5, w 3, nb 14) 22

Total: (all out, 67 overs, 287 mins) 205

Fall of wickets: 1-33, 2-36, 3-45, 4-147, 5-147, 6-148, 7-148, 8-149, 9-195, 10-205.

Bowling: Singh 10-3-32-0, Uniyal 13-1-55-1, Sodhi 5-2-9-1, Ricky 8-4-9-2, Navdeep Singh 21-3-79-4, Kakkar 10-3-16-2.