Punjab came roaring back after conceding a crucial first-innings lead of 56 runs to score 397 for three declared, off only 56 overs, against Services in their North Zone Ranji match at Amritsar on Friday.

The day began with Services' revelation of the season, 19-year-old Yashpal Singh, giving a pasting to the Punjab bowling attack and scoring a superb 202. He reached his maiden double century in style with a delectable leg-glance for four off left-arm spinner Babloo Kumar. He thus made the most of a life he got on 141 when Sandeep Sawal dropped him at mid-on off Babloo Kumar. Yashpal Singh also demolished Dinesh Mongia's bowling, scoring 28 runs in the 102nd over. The sequence of balls in the over read: 6,4,0,6,6,6.

Stung by Services' reply, Punjab's batsmen launched an attack on the mediocre Services bowling line up. Pankaj Dharmani played another scintillating knock of 127 not out. He showed immense patience and, later, some pluck, going after the bowlers and helping himself to seven boundaries and three sixes. This was Dharmani's third consecutive century and second of the match. His average in the first two matches of the season is now a staggering 352.

Yuvraj Singh played a characteristically breezy knock of 90 in just 77 balls. His innings was peppered with 10 hits to the fence and a six. Punjab's run-machine Dinesh Mongia also scored a quickfire 73 off 44 balls. He went after left-arm spinner Arun Sharma and hoicked him for two sixes on the trot. Later he thumped strike bowler Sudhakar Ghag for a six and a couple of boundaries. Reetinder Singh Sodhi chipped in with a valuable 40 not out.

In reply, Services were 13 for one in 10 overs. Set a target of 342, they have to knock off the required runs in 90 overs on Day Four.

Sangram Singh hits courageous century

A defiant knock of 100 from Sangram Singh and a 179-run third-wicket partnership between Singh and Rajiv Nayyar (97) helped host Himachal Pradesh build a huge total of 345 for 7 declared in their second innings. Their declaration thus set a target of 303 for Jammu and Kashmir on the third day of the North Zone Ranji tie at Mandi on Friday.

Resuming overnight at 73 for two, Nayyar and Singh steadily carried the score to 223, when Sangram was finally bowled by Ashwani Gupta just after completing his century. Nayyar was also bowled by Ashwani Gupta at 242 for four.

Captain Varinder Sharma (51) and Amit Sharma (51*) were able to push the score to 320, placing the host team in a comfortable position. The skipper declared the innings at 345 for 7 after Shakti Singh (0) and Ashok Kumar Thakur (4) were dismissed cheaply. Jagtar Singh, Ashwani Gupta and Raju Sharma took two wickets each conceding 118, 58 and 31 runs respectively.

While Varinder Sharma's 51 was studded with eight fours, Sangram Singh hit 14 boundaries in his century knock, a good illustration of his strokeplay and attitude. Nayyar, equally controlled, hit 15 fours.

Jammu and Kashmir were 38 without loss at stumps, with Ranjit Bali (13*)and Raju Sharma (18*) at the crease.

Haryana collapse in second innings

Riding on the devastating spells of Delhi bowlers Abhishek Sharma and Sarandeep Singh, who claimed three wickets each, the hosts tightened their grip over Haryana to sniff victory on the penultimate day of the North Zone Ranji match at Delhi.

Resuming at an overnight score of 288 for seven, Delhi added 39 runs to take a slender first-innings lead. Nitin Aggarwal was Haryana's most successful bowler, taking 4-56, while Amit Mishra claimed 3-82.

After conceding a thin 11-run lead to Delhi, the visitors began their second essay on a weak note as they lost their opener Padamjeet Shehrawat (24) for a score of 41.

Four runs later, Haryana faced two successive jolts when batsmen Ishan Ganda (4) and Parinder Sharma (0) became victims of Abhishek Sharma. Struggling at 45 for three, Chetan Sharma and Shafiq Khan showed their composure and negotiated the bowling well to keep the scoreboard ticking. The pair added 69 runs for the fifth wicket before Sharma was caught by Pradeep Chawla off Amit Bhandari for 35.

Shafiq waged a lone battle as no batsman displayed enough patience to stay at a wicket that was friendly to them. With the scoreboard reading 167 for five, Shafiq was caught by Akash Chopra off Abhishek Sharma. He made the highest score of the innings, 71, with the help of 11 hits to the fence and one six.

In a span of 13 runs, the visiting team lost three batsmen, all trapped leg- before by Sarandeep Singh. Abhishek Sharma returned figures of 3-31 while Sarandeep claimed 3-57.

At the close of play, Haryana were struggling on 180 for eight in their second innings, with Ajay Ratra and Gaurav Vashisht unbeaten on 30 and two respectively.

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