Defending champions Uttar Pradesh avoided the ignominy of relegation by defeating Andhra by an innings and 103 runs on the third day of their seventh and last Ranji Trophy Elite Group match at Kamla Club ground in Kanpur on Friday.
The hosts earned five points including bonus while Andhra could not earn any point to remain at 12 points.
UP medium pacers quickly wrapped up Andhra, who were already staring at defeat with overnight 65 for 6, after the visitors added another 67 runs.
K Sahabuddin rose to the occassion by top-scoring 60 runs before falling prey to R P Singh. Sahabuddin plundered 12 boundaries and an effortless six.
R P returned match-haul of 9 for 79, which included 5 for 49 in the second innings. Rohit Prakash and Ali Murtaza grabbed two wicket each.
Andhra had also tagged hopes on captain Venugopal Rao, who was batting on 25 at close on Thursday, but he could add only four runs to his overnight score before offering a catch to wicket keeper Amir Khan.
An elated UP skipper Mohammad Kaif said his rejuvenated team atleast converted the opportunity into a win.
"This would help us in central zone one-day Ranji Trophy matches," he said.
"Thank God we won the match and remain in the Elite Group. My team is mentally tough," Kaif added.
Brief scores:
Andhra first innings: 111 all out (RP Singh 4-30, Pravin Kumar 4-47)
UP first innings: 346 all out (S Raina 54, R Shukla 54, Amir Khan 70, Y Gnaneswara Rao 3-8, K Sahabuddin 3-81)
Andhra second innings (f/o): 132 all out (K Sahabuddin 60, RP Singh 5-49)
Result: UP won by an innings and 103 runs