Bowlers held sway as 17 wickets fell for 277 runs on the first day of the four-day Ranji Trophy match between hosts Punjab and Services in Mohali on Wednesday.

Medium pacers Ishan Malhotra (5 for 24) and Amit Uniyal (3 for 50) helped Punjab dismiss Services for 147 runs in 46.4 overs.

Hitting back with vengeance, Services had Punjab reeling at 130 for 7 in 33 overs before umpires BA Jamula and PS Godbole stopped the play with nine overs remaining due the fading light.

Punjab would have been in a worse position had Fazil Muhammed not dropped Malhotra off the bowling of Pankaj Sharma when the score was 93 for 7, with the batsman on 8.

At stumps, Ishan was batting at 25 and Uniyal at 22. Services medium pacer Fazil Muhammed captured three wickets for 43 runs.

Earlier, Punjab captain Dinesh Mongia won the toss and elected to field. His move paid rich dividends.

After Amit Uniyal provided the first breakthrough by trapping opener Narindera Singh (15) leg before wicket, the Services batsmen found Ishan Malhotra virtually unplayable. Malhotra dismissed PMS Reddy (23), Jasvir Siigh (30), AK Mohanty (1), Pankaj Kumar (14) and Sudhakar Ghag (0).

Uniyal's other victims were Sumit Singh Tomar (14) and Fazil Muhammed (10). Services' innings lasted 210 minutes and 46.4 overs.

An unbeaten 47-run partnership for eighth wicket between Molhotra and Amit Uniyal propped Punjab to 130 for 7 in 33 overs before the match was stopped due to failing lights.

Earlier, Reetinder Sodhi (41, 9x4s, 70 mts, 39 balls) and Dinesh Mongia (25) were associated in a 54 runs stand for the fourth wicket.

Scorecard
Services (Ist innings):
Narindera Singh lbw Uniyal 15
PMS Reddy c Dharmani b Ishan Malhotra 23
Jasvir Singh c Sodhi b Ishan Malhotra 30
Yash Pal Singh c Ricky b Sodhi 5
Sumit Singh Tomar lbw Uniyal 14
Sarabjit Singh b Rajesh 1
AK Mohanty b Ishan Malhotra 22
Fazil Muhammed v Dharmani b Uniyal 10
Pankaj Kumar c Dharmani b Ishan Malhotra 14
Arun Sharma not out 0
Sudhakar Ghag b Ishan Malhotra 0.
Extras: (nb 7, lb 4, b 1, w 1) 13.
Total: (all out, 46.4 overs) 147.

Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-55, 3-75, 4-77, 5-86, 6-95, 7-107, 8-142, 9-147, 10-147.

Bowling: Vineet Sharma 11-2-29-0, Amit Uniyal 15-5-50-3, Ishan Malhotra 9.4-2-24-5, Reetinder Sodhi 6-2-26-1, Rajesh Sharma 5-1-13-1.

Punjab (Ist innings):
Ravneet Ricky c Sarabjit b Fazil 4
Munish Sharma lbw Fazil 5
Dinesh Mongia lbw Pankaj 25
Pankaj Dharmani lbw Fazil 4
Reetinder Sodhi c Yash Pal b Pankaj 41
Ankur Kakkar lbw Pankaj 0
Gourav Gupta c Reddy bt Arun 3
Ishan Malhotra batting 25
Amit Uniyal batting 22.
Extras: (w 1) 1
Total: (for 7 wickets, 33 overs) 130

Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-14, 3-20, 4-74, 5-80, 6-83, 7-83.

Bowling: Fazil Muhammed 11-3-43-3 Sudhakar Ghag 8-3-17-0 Pankaj Kumar 7-0-47-3 AK Mohanty 3-0-8-0 Arun Sharma 4-0-15-1.