Services take first innings lead against J & K

New Delhi: Brilliant half-century knocks by skipper Sanjay Verma (74) and C.D.Thomson (74) and their 142 runs sixth wicket partnership helped Services to notch up 282 for eight and take a vital 41-run first innings lead against Jammu and Kashmir on the second day of the four-day North Zone Ranji Trophy league tie being played at the Harbax Singh stadium here today.

Resuming at the overnight score of 20 for three, Services lost Sachin Kulkarni without adding to the score when seamer Surinder Singh rattled his stumps to give J & K an early breakthrough.

Services got another jolt when Syed Javed (27) was trapped leg before wicket by off-spinner Ashwani Gupta, leaving them tottering at 54 for five. Thomson then joined Verma and both batted sensibly. They kept the scoreboard ticking with small nudges and pushes to give some respectability to the total.

Verma was finally dismissed by J & K skipper Kanvaljit Singh when Dhruv Mahajan caught him. His 74 included seven hits to the fence. Fifteen runs later, Thomson was adjudged leg before wicket to Surinder Singh. His fighting 74 was studded with ten boundaries. For the visitors Surinder Singh took three wickets for 67 runs while Vijay Sharma bagged two wickets for 45 runs.

At draw of stumps, G.S.Thapa (12) and M.V. Rao (19) were at the crease.