Zaheer Khan and Yusuf Khan shared eight wickets to skittle out Uttar Pradesh for a paltry 124 and give Baroda a crucial first innings lead of 62 runs on the second day of their four-day Ranji Trophy Elite Division Group B tie in Vadodara on Saturday.
At close, the hosts had widened the margin to 137 with seven wickets in hand while making 75 for three in 30.4 overs in the second innings. Baroda made 186 in their first essay.
Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan grabbed three for 33 while spinner Yusuf, brother of young India pacer Irfan Pathan, ripped out the heart of the UP first innings with a haul of 5 for 31 in only 17 overs.
The two bowlers helped Baroda gain the upper hand in the low-scoring tie on the newly laid Moti Baug palace ground after UP had shot out the home team in 86.2 overs, by taking the last three wickets cheaply.
Baroda had resumed their first innings this morning at 163 for 7 and could add only 23 runs. As many as 16 wickets fell during the day.
Veteran Rizwan Shamsad was the top scorer for UP in the first innings with an unconquered 28.
Captain Mohd Kaif disappointed the big crowd by making only 11 before becoming left arm spinner Rajesh Pawar's only victim.