Punjab has virtually booked its place in the semi finals of the Cooch Behar Trophy by taking the first innings lead against Orissa in a quarter final match at Jamshedpur today. With the Cooch Behar Trophy being played over three days there is hardly any scope for teams to recover after a first innings deficit.

At the Telco Club Ground, Punjab resumed at 53-1 and overnight batsmen RS Ricky and Yuvraj Singh took the score to 110 before Singh was dismissed for 38 with the partnership worth 97. Although Punjab were in a spot of bother at 165-5, they managed to overhaul Orissa's first innings total of 250 with seven wickets down and posted a score of 316 thanks to regular contributions down the order. Four batsmen got scores in the 30's not to speak of extras which numbered 35. Ricky top scored with 76 (106 balls, 13 fours and a six). DR Patnaik took four wickets for Orissa.

At stumps Orissa had raced to 92-1 in 18 overs with S Mohanty playing a cameo of 38 in 34 balls (six 4's). Biswa Mohapatra on 44 and N Behera on 5 were manning the crease.

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