Published: Sep 25, 2017, 02:54 PM (IST)
Edited: Sep 25, 2017, 02:54 PM (IST)
Dr Gokaraju Liala Gangaaraju ACA Cricket Ground, Vijayawada continued to be a spinners’ paradise on Monday as India A registered an innings and 31-run win over the visiting New Zealand A in the first unofficial Test. The spin duo of Shahbaz Nadeem and Karn Sharma claimed 4 wickets each in the second innings to reduce New Zealand A to 142 in 63.1 overs on Day Three of the contest.
Openers George Worker and Jeet Raval put up a steady 41-run stand in the second innings, following up 72-run stand in the first innings. Worker was the only player in the lineup to get into the 30s before getting cleaned up by Karn. Pacer Shardul Thakur picked up 2 wickets, that of Todd Astle and Tom Blundell.
Winning the toss, New Zealand A batted and were folded for 147. Worker, Raval and wicketkeeper Tim Seifert were the only ones to get to 30s. Pacer Mohammad Siraj got 2 wickets, while Nadeem and Karn claimed four-fors respectively.
India A responded with 320. Opener Ravikumar Samarth scored 54, while Shreyas Iyer slammed his 10th First-Class hundred. The counterattacking innings took the Kiwis by a surprise. The Mumbai mainstay got 108 off just 97 balls — an innings consisting 14 fours and 2 sixes. He added l 62-run stand off 40 balls with wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant for the sixth wicket. His Delhi Daredevils’ teammate Pant contributed with a 41-ball 67. The blitz contained 9 fours and 2 sixes.
Ish Sodhi was the pick of the bowlers from the New Zealand camp, claiming 5 for 94 from his 22 overs; Todd Astle’s leg spin fetched him 2 wickets. A total of 24 of 30 wickets in the unofficial Test fell to spin.
Brief Scores:
New Zealand A 147 all-out (George Worker 33, Jeet Raval 34, Tim Seifert 35*; Karn Sharma 4 for 58, Shahbaz Nadeem 4 for 39) & 142 all-out (George Worker 35; Shahbaz Nadeem 4 for 51, Karn Sharma 4 for 62) lost to India A 320 (Ravikumar Samarath 54, Shreyas Iyer 108, Rishabh Pant 67; Ish Sodhi 5 for 94) by an innings and 31 runs.
