A defiant 156 by skipper Y Venugopala Rao could not help Andhra from conceding a 106-run first innings lead against Gujarat, who reached 55 for no loss in their second essay in the Ranji Trophy Elite 'A' match at Hyderabad on Sunday.

Resuming at 146 for 3, in reply to Gujarat first innings score of 420, the hosts ended up on 314 as the lower order collapsed after a 146-run fourth wicket stand between overnight batsmen Venugopala Rao and Gnaneswar Rao (61).

Skipper Venugopala tried to stabilise the innings, despite losing partners at regular intervals, and went on to make a big hundred in his marathon 442 minutes stay at the crease.

He cracked 25 fours off 295 balls he faced but the Gujarat bowlers, after seeing his back, soon ripped though the rest of the batting to bowl hosts out for 314.

Balaji Singh (26), who offered some resistance, was run out.

Gujarat speedster Lalit Patel claimed three wickets while H Majumdar and A Makada took two wickets apiece.

The visitors began their second innings on a sluggish note and ended the day with openers Hemjoshipura (16) and Akash Christian (38) at the crease.

Scoreboard:

Gujarat first innings: 420

Andhra first innings:
Manoj Sai lbw b L Patel 8
LNP Reddy b L Patel 10
ASK Varma c (sub) b S Trivedi 0
Venugopala Rao c Trivedi b L Patel 156
Gnaneshwara Rao c and b Majumdar 61
A G Pradeep b Makda 17
K S Shaduddin c Majumdar b Makda 12
Balaji K Singh run out 26
Md Faiq lbw b Majumdar  6
A G Praveen run out  6
Kalyan Krishna not out  0

Extras (b-1, lb-3, nb-8)     12

Total (all out in 115.4 overs)  314

Fall of wickets: 1/20, 2/21, 3/26, 4/173, 5/202, 6/226, 7/285, 8/314, 9/314.

Bowling: S Trivedi 23-4-77-1, L Patel 21.4-4-56-3, H Mujumdar 18-3-42-2, Asraf Makda 25-6-63-2, S Yadav 21-4-59-0, K Damani 7-2-13-0.

Gujarat 2nd Innings:
Hemjoshipura not out 16
Akash Christian  not out 38

Extras (nb-1) 1

Total (for no loss in 21 overs)   55

Bowling: K S Shabuddin 7-3-13-0, Kalyan Krishna 5-2-12-0, A G Praveen 5-0-22-0, Md Faiq 3-1-8-0, Balaji K Singh 1-1-0-0.