Uttar Pradesh were in a strong position on the penultimate day of the four-day Ranji Trophy match in Lucknow after forcing Punjab to follow-on on Monday.

Facing a deficit of 195 runs, Punjab were in deep trouble after losing two wickets for 34 runs in the second innings.

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Resuming their first innings at the overnight score of 70 for three, Pankaj Dharmani (68) and R S Sodhi (61) resisted the hosts, moving the scoreboard steadily. But Praveen Kumar broke their 106-run partnership with a sharp delivery, which stayed low and caught Sodhi plumbed in front of the wickets.

Dharmani followed shortly after, mistiming Piyush Chawla's delivery and giving him a return catch.

Thereafter, none of the batsmen could resist the hostile bowling of veteran Winston Zaidi, who claimed five wickets in first innings.

UP skipper Jyoti Yadav, with a lead of 195 runs, promptly asked Punjab follow-on.

In the second innings, Yadav introduced spinner Chawla early. The move paid off when Ravneet Ricky was out leg before to Chawla, while at the other end Praveen Kumar claimed the prized wicket of Munish Sharma.

At the close of the day's play, Punjab were 34 for two and still needing 161 runs to avoid the innings defeat.

Scorecard
Uttar Pradesh (1st innings): 443

Punjab (1st innings):
RS Ricky c Raina b Zaidi 20
Muneesh Sharma lbw b Zaidi 1
U Kaul c Prakash b Piyush Chawla 25
P Dharmani c & b Piyush Chawla 68
RS Sodhi lbw b Kumar 61
D Mongia b Piyush Chawla 9
G Gupta lbw b Zaidi 10
Bipul Sharma not out 12
Rajesh Sharma c sub (S Shukla) b Zaidi 0
Gagandeep Singh c Amir Khan b Zaidi 4
HS Sandhu b Kumar 6.
Extras: (b 4, lb 4, nb 14) 22
Total: (all out, 103 overs) 238

Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-39, 3-58, 4-164, 5-193, 6-200, 7-213, 8-220, 9-229, 10-238.

Bowling: Zaidi 29-8-50-5, Kumar 25-2-98-2 (14nb), Piyush Chawla 27-10-43-3, Avinash Yadav 20-10-34-0, Yadav 2-0-5-0.

Punjab (2nd innings): (following on)
RS Ricky lbw b Piyush Chawla 7
Muneesh Sharma lbw b Kumar 2
D Mongia not out 22
Bipul Sharma not out 1
Extras: (nb 2) 2
Total: (2 wickets, 17 overs) 34

To bat: RS Sodhi, U Kaul, G Gupta, P Dharmani, Rajesh Sharma, Gagandeep Singh, HS Sandhu.

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-31.

Bowling: Zaidi 4-2-2-0, Kumar 4-0-17-1 (2nb), Raina 5-1-7-0, Piyush Chawla 4-3-8-1.