Surat: Gujarat closed in on securing an innings lead by reducing Madhya Pradesh to 187 for 7 on the second day of their Group B Ranji Trophy cricket match here on Monday.
Starting the day at 252 for 6, Gujarat rode on a handy half-century from Axar Patel (55) and a 38 from Rush Kalaria.
Jalaj Saxena took three wickets while Puneet Datey and Ankit Kushwah chipped in with two each, but Gujarat still managed a healthy first-innings total of 311.
In reply, Madhya Pradesh lost wickets at regular intervals right from the start. A lot of batsmen made starts, but only Naman Ojha (56) could muster a fifty.
The visitors are now left with a massive task in hand to get back into the match.
Brief Scores:
Gujarat 1st innings: 311 all out in 106.1 overs (Manpreet Juneja 61, Rujul Bhatt 51, Axar Patel 55; Jalaj Saxena 3/56)
Madhya Pradesh 1st innings: 187 for 7 in 71 overs (Naman Ojha 56; R P Singh 2/51).
