New Delhi: Skipper Gyanender Pandey led from the front with an unbeaten 98 as Uttar Pradesh reached a good score of 247 for four against Railways on the opening day of the four day Central Zone Ranji Trophy cricket match here yesterday.

Pandey steadied the innings in the company of Jyoti Yadav (57) after Manoj Mudgal (47), Manoj Singh (0) and Rizwan Shamshad (25) were back in the pavilion reducing the visitors to 107 for three at the Karnail Singh stadium here.

The seasoned left hander added 102 runs for the fourth wicket with Yadav as Uttar Pradesh reached 209 for four on electing to bat first. He struck 11 boundaries and a six off 209 balls in a 262 minute unfinished vigil.

At stumps Saurav Shukla, on 13, was keeping his captain company. Yadav, who retired hurt early in the innings, returned to score a superb 57 off 120 balls, studded with eight fours and a six.

Earlier, the visitors got off to a poor start as Manoj Singh (0), who replaced the injured Yadav at the crease, was caught by wicketkeeper Sudhir Wankhede off medium pacer Zakir Hussain with just 25 runs on the board.

Mudgal 47 (107 minutes, 77 balls, 8x4) looked solid at the other end but was unlucky to miss his fifty as he was caught by Wankhede off Harvinder Singh. Shamshad also offered a catch to keeper off Sanjay Bangar.

© Cricinfo