Baroda take first innings lead

Half centuries by S Rana and S Verma saw Haryana put up a strong second innings display, after conceding a 79-run first innings lead to Baroda, in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group 'B' match in Sirsa on Sunday.

At stumps on day three, Haryana were at 223 for three, with Verma (55) and Rana (83) at the crease.

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Haryana, who have impressed this season with a dramatic win over Uttar Pradesh and a draw against Punjab, showed that those performances were no flukes as they wiped out the defecit of 79 runs today.

Resuming at their overnight score of 306 for six, Baroda added another 33 runs before R Solanki (74) ran out of partners. Last batsmen Zaheer Khan (19) got out after sharing a valuable 48-run stand with Solanki, the top-scorer of the innings.

Joginder Sharma was the pick of the bowlers for the visitors, returning with figures of 4 for 104.

Haryana lost opener Chetan Sharma at 24 as Zaheer Khan rattled his stumps. After Khan claimed B Bist, who made a valuable 40, Rana and Verma batted with responsibility adding 123 runs between them.

Scoreboard

Haryana (1st innings): 260

Baroda (1st innings): 339

Haryana (2nd innings):
Chetan Sharma b Zaheer 6
Bagheshwar Bishat c Pinal b Zaheer 40
Sunny Singh b Rajesh Pawar 22
Siddharth Verma not out 55
Sachin Rana not out 83
Extras: 17
Total: 223-3

Fall of wickets: 1/24, 2/62, 3/90

Bowling: Zaheer 22-6-59-2, Rajesh Pawar 28-12-56-1, Patel 12-2-38-0, Pathan 13-3-37-0, Ajit 6-0-25-0