VS Malik scalped four wickets to help Himachal Pradesh bundle out Rajasthan for 218 and take a 80-run lead on the second day of their four-day Ranji Super League Group A tie in Dharamsala on Wednesday.
Himachal, who posted 280 in their first innings, were 19 for no loss in their second essay with M Gupta on eight and Sandeep Sharma on 10 were at the crease at the draw of stumps.
The hosts are now in command having taken 80-run lead and 10 second innings intact with two days remaining in the match.
Rajasthan began the morning on a disastrous note as Malik removed opener VA Saxena in the first over of the morning without any addition to overnight team total of five for no loss.
But, the other opener S Vijay Singh (88) propped up the visitors' innings and saw it past 200 mark. Vijay's innings was studded with 12 hits to the fence and one over it after facing 206 balls.
At one time, Rajasthan were at a comfortable 120 for two but Malik took two wickets in a space of three balls -- that of NS Doru (25) and R Bist (0) -- to put the visitors on the back foot again.
For Himachal, AK Thakur (2/83) and V Bhatia (2/24) gave support to Malik (4/51).
Scorecard:
Himachal Pradesh (1st innings): 280
Rajasthan (1st innings, overnight 5/0):
V Saxena lbw b Malik 5
S Vijay c Bisla b Bhatia 88
R Bishnoi st Bisla b Sarandeep 34
N Doru c Bisla b Malik 25
R Bist b Malik 0
N Gehlot c Bisla b Thakur 16
R Jhalani c Sandeep b Bhatia 20
S Singh not out 5
S Gehlot lbw b Thakur 12
M Aslam run out 1
S Mathur c Sarandeep b Malik 4
Extras: (LB 1 NB 7) 8
Total: (all out in 81.2 overs) 218
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-72, 3-120, 4-120, 5-157, 6-190, 7-195, 8-209, 9-211, 10-218
Bowling: A Thakur 25-4-83-2, V Malik 18.2-3-51-4, V Bhatia 11-4-24-2, Sarandeep 27-4-59-1
Himachal Pradesh (2nd innings):
M Gupta not out 8
S Sharma not out 10
Extras: (NB 1) 1
Total: (for no loss in 7 overs) 19
Bowling: S Mathur 3-2-3-0, S Gehlot 2-0-15-0, M Aslam 2-1-1-0