Ranji Trophy 2015-16: Madhya Pradesh trail Uttar Pradesh by 412 runs at stumps on Day 3

UP, who declared their innings on 686 for the loss of seven, were off to a good start with the ball.

One off Indian domestic cricket giants Madhya Pradesh were fellow ginats Uttar Pradesh by 412 runs at stumps on Day 3 of the firrst groupstage game of the Ranji Trophy 2015-16 at the Teerthanker Mahaveer University in Moradabad on Saturday. UP, who declared their innings on 686 for the loss of seven, were off to a good start with the ball. However, MP recoverd back strong to hold their innings and for the loss of just three wickets, MP finished the day on 243. Aditya Shrivastava is just one short of his century, while they have lost three criucial wickets as Ankit Rajpoot has claimed a couple for 43. UPDATES: Uttar Pradesh vs Madhya Pradesh, Ranji Trophy 2015-16, Group B match, Day 3 at Moradabad

Earlier, on Day 2, playing in his second first-class game, young Mohammad Saif missed out on a double century by two runs, while another youngster Sarfaraz Khan smashed 155 off 164 balls as Uttar Pradesh posted a mammoth 656/5 in their Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh here today. At stumps on day 2, the hosts rode on 19-year-old Saif’s 198 off 287 balls, and Sarfaraz’s blazing knock to pile up a huge total after batting 180 overs at the Teerthanker Mahaveer University Ground. Spinner Jalaj S Saxena picked up three wickets at the cost of conceding 190 runs, the figures giving ample indication of how difficult was it for the bowlers. UP had started the day on 260 for two.

Overnight batting on 110, Almas Shaukat got out after making 128, even as Saif batted on and in the company of Sarfaraz, who is barely 17, added 287 runs for the fourth wicket. Saif found the fence 18 times and cleared it once, while Sarfaraz struck 15 boundaries and four sixes.

(With inputs from PTI)

Brief scores:

UP 686/7 (Mohammad Saif 198, SN Khan 155; Jalaj Saxena 3 for 194) lead MP 234 for 3 (Aditya Shrivastava 99*, Naman Ojha 88; Ankit Rajpoot 2 for 43) by 412 runs.

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