A 58-run tenth-wicket partnership between Pankaj Dharmani (125) and Rajesh Sharma (19 not out) enabled hosts Punjab gain a vital 39-run first innings lead over Uttar Pradesh on day 3 of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match in Mohali on Tuesday.

Punjab were all out for 308 in reply to Uttar Pradesh's total of 269.

Resuming at the overnight score of 221 for seven, the hosts added 87 runs before folding up.

The visitors were 206 for the loss of two wickets in their second innings at close. Jyoti P Yadav (82) and Suresh Raina (37) were unbeaten at close. UP are effectively ahead by 137 runs.

Dharmani and the other overnight batsman, Gagandeep, added 29 runs before Gagandeep (17) was bowled by R P Singh with the total reading 250.

New Punjab batsman V R V Singh was out to the next delivery of Singh.

Rajesh Sharma, the last batsman, (19) and Dharmani (125) added 58 runs before Dharmani was caught at fine leg by Mohd. Amir Khan off Srivastava with the total reading 308.

Uttar Pradesh commenced their second innings on a confident note with the openers Rohit Parkash and Jyoti P Yadav making a good start by successfully negotiating the Punjab bowlers.

The opening wicket partnership was broken by VRV Singh, who forced Rohit to play towards gully where Gourav Gupta made no mistake in taking the catch. The score then read 114.

Rohit scored his 62 with the help of 10 hits to the fence.

New batsman Mohd Kaif, however, failed to give support to Yadav. Kaif (12) was also caught by Gupta in the gully off a delivery from A Uniyal when the total was 151.

Suresh Raina (37) was keeping Yadav (82, 11 fours) company at close.

The visitors have a lead of 137, but Punjab are assured of two points on the basis of their first innings lead of 39 runs.

Scoreboard

Uttar Pradesh (1st innings): 269 in 100.5 overs.

Punjab (1st innigs):
Ravneet Rickey b Zaidi 7
Reetinder Sodhi lbw Srivastava 11
Yuvraj Singh c Srivastava b R P Singh 52
Dinesh Mongia c Elahi b Zaidi 6
Pankaj Dharmani c M A Khan b Srivastava 125
Gourav Gupta run out 7
Chandan Madan b Gupta 6
Amit Uniyal lbw Zaidi 28
Gagandeep Singh b R P Singh 17
VRV Singh b R P Singh 0
Rajesh Sharma not out 19

Extras: (nb-19, w-2, lb-9) 30

Total: )in 102.2 overs) 308

Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-23, 3-43, 4-114, 5-142, 6-164, 7-221, 8-250, 9-250, 10-308.

Bowling: A W Zaidi 29-05-103-3, S Srivastava  25.2-06-72-2, R P Singh  17-04-49-3, P Gupta   21-04-47-1, S Raina 03-00-12-0, G Pandey 07-02-16-0.

Uttar Pradesh (2nd innings):
Rohit Parkash c Gupta b VRV Singh 62
Jyoti P Yadav batting 82
Mohd Kaif c Gupta b Uniyal 12
Suresh Raina batting 37.

Extras: (nb-9, b-1, lb-3) 13.

Total: (for two wickets in 57 overs) 206

Fall of wickets: 1-114, 2-151.

Bowling: Gagandeep Singh 13-01-50-0, VRVSingh 11-00-45-1, R Sharma 15-06-37-0, A Uniyal 10-01-36-1, D Mongia 6-01-19-0, Yuvraj Singh 2-00-15-0.