Rajasthan gain first innings lead

Jaipur: Saket Bhatia (72 not out) and Sanjeev Sharma (54) helped Rajasthan to the first innings lead against Madhya Pradesh on Day 3 of this Central Zone Ranji Trophy league match at the KL Saini ground here yesterday. They came together at a crucial stage of the match and put on 122 for the sixth wicket. At stumps Rajasthan were 372-6 -a lead of 57- with four wickets in hand. Bhatia and M Singh (5 not out) were patrolling the crease.

Resuming at their overnight score of 120-0, Rajasthan lost three wickets before lunch. In the very first over of the day AS Jain was trapped leg before without adding to his overnight score of 50. After lunch Rajasthan lost captain P Krishnakumar and opener NS Dora in the space of six balls to slide to 221-5, still 94 behind. Kumar was the third leg before victim of the day and Dora ran himself out after making a patient 87. But a sixth wicket partnership of 122 in 171 minutes off 43.4 overs between Bhatia and Sharma put paid to MP's hopes of gaining first innings points.