Siddarth Kaul returned with a career-best figures of six for 27 in a dream spell of pace bowling to push Punjab closer to victory against Uttar Pradesh (UP) on the third day of the Ranji Trophy Group A match at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here on Monday.
Resuming at its overnight score of 244 for three, Punjab folded up for 319 as pacers Imtiaz Ahmed (three for 57) and Ankit Rajpoot (three for 58) exploited the early morning moisture to run through the batting line-up.
Once UP got rid of the well-set Punjab captain Yuvraj Singh (85, 130b, 10x4, 1x6) the rest, barring a defiant eighth wicket stand of 52 between Mandeep Singh and Sandeep Sharma, fell cheaply.
Punjab fought back brilliantly after conceding the lead thanks to Siddarth's spell. The dimunitive pacer, watched by the chairman of the national selection panel M. S. K. Prasad, bowled fast in terrific lines and lengths. Uttar Pradesh was bundled out for 95 and could set a modest target of 112 for Punjab, who was sitting pretty at 61 at close of play.
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