The efforts of Andhra skipper Y Venugopala Rao (78) and M S K Prasad (72) were not enough to prevent Punjab from taking a first innings lead of 79 runs on the penultimate day of Ranji Trophy Elite B Group match at Visakhapatnam on Thursday.

Off-spinner Rajesh Sharma was the wrecker-in-chief claiming 5 for 61, who resumed at 79 for two in reply to Punjab score of 316, and folded up at 237.

The visitors were 98 for 3 at close.

Overnight batsmen Prasad and Venugopala Rao took the onus on them and batted with caution to build the score bit by bit gathering runs in singles and twos.

The duo added 146 runs for the third wicket before Prasad was dismissed by Sharma after a patient 72, which was the result of his 212-ball effort at the crease with the help of six boundaries to the fence.

Skipper Venugopala Rao was a bit more enterprising as he hit 78 runs in a space of 178 balls and struck ten boundaries before being caught leg before wicket by his Punjab counterpart Dinesh Mongia.

The quick dismissal of the two batsmen opened the floodgates as Sharma and Mongia ripped through the middle and lower order to bundle Andhra out in 95.4 overs and take a comfortable 79-run first innings lead.

Mongia ended up with impressive figure of three wickets for 49 runs off 26 overs of which five were maidens.

Punjab in the second essay were 98 for three at draw of stumps with Reetinder Singh Sodhi (38) and Pankaj Dharmani (1) at crease.

Scorecard:

Andhra 1st innings (Overnight score: 79-2)
T Suman c Rajesh Sharma b Mongia 10
MSK Prasad c Bipul Sharma b Rajesh Sharma 72
K Kumarswamy lbw b Gagandeep Singh 15
Y Venugopal Rao c & b Mongia 78
A Rayudu b Rajesh Sharma 6
Y Gnaneswara Rao lbw b Mongia 12
K Sahabuddin lbw b Rajesh Sharma 1
M Faiq c Ricky b Rajesh Sharma 6
L Kishore lbw b Rajesh Sharma 3
M Vikram Verma b Ablash 1
D Kalyankrishna not out 2

Extras (b 7, lb 13, nb 11) 31

Total (all out in 95.4 overs) 237

Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-50, 3-196, 4-204, 5-222, 6-222, 7-223, 8-230, 9-235, 10-237.

Bowling: Gagandeep Singh 15-6-28-1, L Ablash 20.4-4-44-1, D Mongia 26-5-49-3, Rajesh Sharma 20-3-61-5, Bipul Sharma 6-1-14-0, I Malhatra 8-3-21-0.

Punjab 2nd innings:
R Ricky run out (Suman) 31
R Sodhi not out 38
D Mongia st Prasad b Faiq 22
I Malhatra st Prasad b Kishore 1
P Dharmani not out 1

Extras (lb 1, w 4) 5

Total (for 3 wickets in 33 overs) 98

Fall of wickets: 1-53, 2-94, 3-95.

Bowling: K Sahabuddin 3-0-11-0, D Kalyankrishna 1-0-6-0, L Kishore 12-1-25-1, M Faiq 10-1-21-1, V Verma 7-0-34-0.