SALEM: Tamil Nadu bowlers spun a web around Punjab batters to enforce a follow-on on the third day of the final league match of the Elite Group C Ranji Trophy match here on Sunday.

The host’s ever-improving left-arm spinner S Ajith Ram scalped six wickets for 83 runs to restrict Punjab to 274 in its first innings, securing his team a huge lead of 161 runs.

In the second innings, Punjab was 180 for four with Nehal Wadhera unbeaten on 103 (101b, 11x4, 4x6). Opener Abhishek Sharma contributed 36.

Ajith Ram was the pick of the bowlers in the second innings too taking three for 42. Punjab leads by 19 runs.

If the match ends in a draw TN will have 25 points, same as Gujarat, but it can go through to knockouts after logging a better Net Run Rate of 1.78 as against the western side’s 1.11. But if it manages a win, then Tamil Nadu can have 28 points.