MP 314/6 | Live cricket score, Punjab vs Madhya Pradesh, Ranji Trophy 2015-16, Group B match, Day 4 at Patiala: Match drawn, MP earns 3 points

Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s live coverage of Day 4 of the Group B game of the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy between Punjab and Madhya Pradesh, live from Patiala. The Madhya Pradesh bowlers kept Punjab at bay, taking out crucial wickets, and eventually securing a 12-run lead. Despite that, they are 81 for 3 at stumps as play will resume on Day Four, leading by 93, and will have to take the lead to at least 250. Punjab, on the other hand, will count on Sarabjit Ladda to provide them with breakthroughs, though he would need support at the other end if they eye a win. READ: Ranji Trophy 2015-16, full coverage here

Live cricket scores Madhya Pradesh 314/6, 370 | Punjab 358 | Overs 107 | Batting: Devendra Bundela 55(72), Rameez Khan 54(93): Match Drawn took first innings lead- Punjab: 1 Point(s) Madhya Pradesh: 3 Point(s)

Live cricket scores Madhya Pradesh 272/6, 370 | Punjab 358 | Overs 99 | Batting: Devendra Bundela 39(55), Rameez Khan 28(62): At tea, Madhya Pradesh lead by 284 runs with 4 wickets remaining. Jalaj Saxena narrowly missed on his much deserved century. Naman Ojha failed to leave any impact. With four wickets still in hand, Madhya Pradesh is expected to score some more runs.

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OUT! Jalaj Saxena c Kaul b Pargat Singh 95 (213)

OUT! Naman Ojha b Khanna 18(66)

Live cricket scores Madhya Pradesh 157/4, 370 | Punjab 358 | Overs 72 | Batting: Jalaj Saxena 70(183), Naman Ojha 5(42): It is lunch. Jalaj Saxena remains unbeaten and in looks in a good touch. Madhya Pradesh has taken the lead by 169 runs with 6 wickets in hand which they would like to enhance after lunch.

Live cricket scores Madhya Pradesh 140/4, 370 | Punjab 358 | Overs 61 | Batting: Jalaj Saxena 58(155): Jalaj and Puneet Datey added another 56 runs before the latter was dismissed by Punjab’s Pargat Singh in the third delivery of the 60th over. Puneet scored a 123-ball 31 before getting caught by Manan Vohra. From here, MP leads Punjab by 152 runs. Naman Ojha is the new batsman in. OUT! Puneet Datey c Manan Vohra b Pargat Singh 31(123)

Punjab had resumed on 182 for 2, and needed another 189 to get the first-innings lead. They lost three quick wickets to get reduced to 219 for 5, but Uday Kaul and Himanshu Chawla batted on grittily. They needed only 56 with 5 wickets in hand, but once Chawla (49 in 91 balls, 6 fours) Ankit Sharma and Jalaj Saxena triggered another collapse. It all came down to Kaul (139 in 266 balls, 15 fours) as the spinners kept pegging away at the wickets. Kaul was ninth out, caught off Ankit, with 15 runs to get; Brainder Sran fell 2 runs later, allowing Madhya Pradesh to secure first-innings honours with Ishwar Pandey (2 for 41), Jalaj (3 for 111), and Ankit (5 for 122) all played crucial roles.

Aditya Shrivastava and Jalaj added 55 for the opening wicket, but a triple-strike from Ladda reduced Madhya Pradesh to 75 for 3. It will take Jalaj (31 in 84 balls, 4 fours) to put up a good show when he will walk out with Puneet Datey on Day Four.

Squads:

Punjab: Yuvraj Singh (c), Gitansh Khera (wk), Manan Vohra, Jiwanjot Singh, Uday Kaul, Mandeep Singh, Sarabjit Ladda, Varun Khanna, Brainder Sran, Himanshu Chawla, Pargat Singh, Mayank Sidhana.

Madhya Pradesh: Devendra Bundela (c), Naman Ojha (wk), Ishwar Pandey, Jalaj Saxena, Ankit Sharma, Udit Birla, Puneet Datey, Harpreet Singh, Mihir Hirwani, Rameez Khan, Yogesh Rawat, Aditya Shrivastava.