<p>Skipper Parveez Rasool led from the front with a scintillating century as Jammu and Kashmir fought back gallantly to leave their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal match against strong contenders Punjab evenly poised here on Thursday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In reply to Punjab’s first innings score of 304, Jammu and Kashmir rode on Rasool’s gutsy 103 off 137 balls before folding up for 277, conceding a slender first innings lead of 27 runs on the second day.<br /><br />J&K seamers Umar Nazir and Mohammed Mudhasir then struck two early blows to remove the in-form openers Jiwanjot Singh (8) and Manan Vohra (7) cheaply. At stumps, Punjab were struggling at 15 for two, for an overall lead of 42.<br /><br />The day belonged to Rasool, who showed that he is ready to go one up on Harbhajan as he hit 11 fours and a lovely six over deep mid-wicket off veteran India off-spinner’s bowling.<br /><br />He completed his fifth first-class century with a couple of boundaries. The ton came off 131 balls. Rasool had two important partnerships during the course of the Jammu and Kashmir innings.The first was a 81-run stand with in-form opener Adil Rishi (65) for the fourth wicket after J&K were reduced to 62 for three.</p>
<p>Skipper Parveez Rasool led from the front with a scintillating century as Jammu and Kashmir fought back gallantly to leave their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal match against strong contenders Punjab evenly poised here on Thursday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In reply to Punjab’s first innings score of 304, Jammu and Kashmir rode on Rasool’s gutsy 103 off 137 balls before folding up for 277, conceding a slender first innings lead of 27 runs on the second day.<br /><br />J&K seamers Umar Nazir and Mohammed Mudhasir then struck two early blows to remove the in-form openers Jiwanjot Singh (8) and Manan Vohra (7) cheaply. At stumps, Punjab were struggling at 15 for two, for an overall lead of 42.<br /><br />The day belonged to Rasool, who showed that he is ready to go one up on Harbhajan as he hit 11 fours and a lovely six over deep mid-wicket off veteran India off-spinner’s bowling.<br /><br />He completed his fifth first-class century with a couple of boundaries. The ton came off 131 balls. Rasool had two important partnerships during the course of the Jammu and Kashmir innings.The first was a 81-run stand with in-form opener Adil Rishi (65) for the fourth wicket after J&K were reduced to 62 for three.</p>