Aided by useful contributions from Sujith Somasundar (66) and Suresh Kumar (44), Kerala scored 247 in the first innings. In the process they gained a crucial 33 run lead over Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy Elite 'A' group match  at Palakkad on Friday.

In reply to UP's 214, Kerala were all out for 247,  22 minutes after tea on the second day.

UP in their second knock were 48 for no loss with openers Rohit Prakash on 26 and Jyoti Yadav on 15 at the crease.

Earlier, resuming at 13 for no loss, Kerala lost three quick wickets, before Somasundar and Kuduva (37) steadied the innings adding 103 runs for the fourth wicket.

However, medium pacer Ratnesh Misra broke the threatening stand by removing Kuduva.

Misra struck again removing Sreekumar Nair (2) and then had Somasundar leg before with Kerala score reading a dismal 153 for six.

But left-handed Suresh Kumar, who hit a breezy 44 off 47 balls, and captain Sunil Oasis (18) added an invaluable 67 runs for the seventh wicket, helping Kerala clinch the lead.

After Oasis was caught off Nikhil Chopra's bowling, wickets fell at regular intervals.

For UP, Nikhil Chopra bagged four wickets while medium pacers A W Zaidi and Ratnesh Misra claimed three wickets each.

Scoreboard:

Uttar Pradesh (first innings): 214

Kerala (first innings):
C M Deepak c Rahat Elahi b  Chopra               17
Sujith Somasundar Lbw b Misra                        66
Vipin Lal Lbw b  Zaidi                                         3
Hemant Kumar c Prashant Malvia b Zaidi           11
Ajay Kuduva lbw b  Misra                                 37
Sreekumar nair c Chopra b Misra                       2
Sunil Oasis c Suresh Raina b Chopra                 18
M Sureshkumar lbw b Chopra                            44
K N Ananthapadmanabhan c Suresh Raina b Zaidi  9
Sony Cheruvathur not out                                      6
Prashanth Chandran c and b Chopra                     0

Extras (B-19, LB-13, NB-2)                    34

Total: (all out in 78.4 overs)                247

Fall of wickets: 1/30, 2/35, 3/47, 4/150/, 5/152, 6/153, 7/220, 8/239, 9/245.

Bowling: A W Zaidi 14-3-37-3, Ratnesh Misra 14-3-41-3, Nikhil Chopra 33.4-7-69-4, Gyanendra Pandey 5-0-18-0, Aman Verma 5-2-12-0, Rahat Elahi 5-0-26-0, Jyoti Yadav 1-0-4-0, Suresh Raina 1-0-8-0.

Uttar Pradesh 2nd innings:
Rohit Prakash not out         26
Jyoti Yadav not out           15

Extras: (B-6, LB-1)             7

Total: (for no loss, 19 overs) 48

Bowling: Prashant Chandran 4-0-10-0, Sony Cheruvathor 1-0-6-0, Sreekumar Nair 5-1-13-0, Suresh Kumar 5-3-5-0, Ananth Padmanabhan 3-0-6-0, Sunil Oasis 1-0-1-0.