Services take upper hand over MP

Yashpal Singh scored a fine century as Services posted 391 on the third and penultimate day to take a 152-run first innings lead before reducing Madhya Pradesh to 127 for three in their Ranji Trophy Group B league encounter here today.
Madhya Pradesh still trail by 25 runs with seven wickets remaining. Going into tomorrow's game, Services will look to bundle out the visitors as early as possible and then try to overhaul the required target to score an outright win.
Resuming on 256 for three, overnight batsman Yashpal, starting on 81, went on to complete his century but his partner Rajat Paliwal (99) could add just eight more runs to his last night's total to fall only a run short of his ton.

The overnight duo raised a solid 164-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Yashpal then joined hands with Vishnu Tiwari (32) to put on a 52 runs for the sixth wicket to give Services an edge.
Yashpal's 142 came off 270 balls with 13 hit to the fence and three sixes.

For MP, Jalaj Saxena was the pick of the bowlers with figures of four for 83.
Already 152 runs behind, MP got off to a poor start in their second innings, losing Jalaj Saxena (4) early.
The other opener in Satyam Choudhary (15) also fell cheaply to leave the visitors reeling at 30 for two.

But Naman Ojha and Mohnish Mishra (31) came to the team's rescue, sharing a crucial 71-run stand for the third wicket.
At stumps, Naman was unbeaten on 61 and giving him company at the other end was Devendra Bundela on five.
Brief scores:
Services 1st innings: 391 all out (Yashpal Singh 142, Rajat Paliwal 99; Jalaj Saxena 4/83).
MP: 239 & 127 for three (Naman Ojha batting 61, Mohnish Mishra 31; T Koteswar Rao 2/18).