Haryana hit back strongly to snatch a vital first innings lead of 118 runs over Tamil Nadu in the Elite Group A Ranji Trophy league match at the M A Chidambaram stadium in Chennai on Monday.

Replying to Haryana's first innings of 287, Tamil Nadu crashed to 169.

Haryana swelled their overall lead to 149, scoring 31 without loss in 31 overs in their second innings, before play was called off due to bad light.

Openers Sumit Sharma (15, two sixes) and A Rawat (12, two fours) were at the wicket at stumps on the third day.

It was all gloom for Tamil Nadu, as their batsmen fell like nine pins after resuming the innings at the overnight score of 80 for 3, hoping to build up a strong first innings score and push for an outright victory.

Haryana off-spinner G Vaishisht put paid to Tamil Nadu's hopes when he struck, dismissing overnight batsman left-hander C Suresh leg before for a duck. Suresh was unable to open his account even after facing 19 balls in 23 minutes.

Four wickets down for 84 runs, the home team still had hopes of a fight with captain S Badrinath, the overnight batsman, still at the crease. But medium pacer Joginder Sharma castled him for 15 (48 balls, 51 minutes, two fours) to have the team tottering at 96-5 in 33.6 overs.

Then Vaishisht continued the star turn with the ball, dismissing R Satish (18, 34 balls, 42 minutes, one four), seasoned left-hander S Sharath (34,132 balls, 152 minutes, three fours), K Varun Kumar(0), R Ashwin (0) and last man R Jesuraj (5), as Haryana gained the vital first innings lead of 118 runs which should give them their first two points with the match heading for draw as more rain is predicted.

Scorecard

Haryana (1st innings): 287

Tamil Nadu (1st innings):
M Vijay c Joon b Mishra 34
S Anirudha c M Rawat b Joginder Sharma 23
R Prasanna b Joginder Sharma 0
S Badrinath b Joginder Sharma 15
C Suresh lbw b Vashisht 0
R Sathish c Rana b Vashisht 18
S Sharath b Vashisht 34
K Varun Kumar b Vashisht 0
R Ashwin lbw b Vashisht 0
V Yo Mahesh (not out) 20
R Jesuraj c A Rawat b Vashisht 5
Extras: (lb-1, w-1, nb-18) 20
Total: 169

Fall of wickets: 1-60, 2-62, 3-77, 4-84, 5-96, 6-113, 7-117, 8-117, 9-163, 10-169.

Bowling: Joginder Sharma 24-5-65-3, S Rana 4-2-13-0, A Mishra 16-5-40-1, S Budhwar 4-0-17-0, G Vashisht 25-15-24-6, Sumit Sharma 2-0-3-0, A Rawat 2-0-6-0.

Haryana (2nd innings):
Sumit Sharma (batting) 15
A Rawat (batting) 12
Extras: (lb-1, nb-3) 4
Total: (for no loss) 31

Bowling: V Yo Mahesh 3-0-10-0, R Jesuraj 4-1-12-0, R Ashwin 2-0-8-0.