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McCullum has India ‘A’ in a spin

Karthik Krishnaswamy

The off-spinner picks up six wickets in an unchanged 30.4-over spell

— Photo: K. Pichumani

GOT YOU! Nathan McCullum is delighted after picking up the wicket of Yusuf Pathan.

Chennai: Nathan McCullum’s run-up remained springy for 30.4 unchanged overs from the pavilion end at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday. The New Zealand ‘A’ off-spinner picked up six wickets as India ‘A’ was bowled out for 248 in its first innings.

In reply, New Zealand ended the first day of the first four-day match between the two ‘A’ sides on 36 for no loss.

Aaron Redmond sped to 31 as if off a slingshot, with four boundaries and a low-slung six over midwicket off Mohnish Parmar.

On 21, he was lucky when Sudeep Tyagi dropped a low chance at mid-off off Amit Mishra.

McCullum’s second first-class five-wicket haul — his first six-for — came from a combination of persistent line, clever changes of pace and a distinct lack of patience from the India ‘A’ batsmen, who took first strike after winning the toss.

Needless shots

Shikhar Dhawan and Jaydev Shah were both consumed at mid-off, having been beaten twice — once in the air by McCullum and then by the itch that made them attempt needless lofted shots after getting starts.

Similarly, Yusuf Pathan struck four boundaries and two sixes, one a whistling straight hit off seamer Brent Arnel, to get to 44, before an ugly slog ended his stay at the stroke of tea.

Suresh Raina gave 19-year-old left-arm seamer Trent Boult, on first-class debut, his maiden wicket.

Feet stuck in the crease as arms swung outwards, he completely missed the line of a ball that deviated slightly, if at all, into him.

Earlier in the over, Raina had pierced a narrowing gap — short-cover diving right, cover-point diving left — with a drive on the up, a shot that may have led to the lax footwork that dismissed him.

Before McCullum made M. Vijay edge a defensive prod to slip, the Tamil Nadu opener, who came in at No. 3, displayed cultured backfoot play in a 71-run second-wicket partnership with Dhawan.

Of Vijay’s seven boundaries, five came in successive Arnel overs. Twice he stood tiptoe to stroke in front of point, and then cut late, right wrist going over left after the ball had crossed the stumps.

In Arnel’s next over, he dismissed with a swivel a neck-high ball, and then drove, without having to move forward, a pitched up delivery past mid-on.

The scores:

India ‘A’ — 1st innings: S. Kukreja lbw b Mason 5, S. Dhawan c Boult b McCullum 27, M. Vijay c Redmond b McCullum 45, S. Raina b Boult 21, J. Shah c Boult b McCullum 38, Y. Pathan c Boult b McCullum 44, W. Saha c Redmond b McCullum 25, A. Mishra (not out) 23, M. Parmar c Young b Watling 2, A. Dinda c McCullum b Watling 5, S. Tyagi lbw b McCullum 3; Extras (b-4, lb-2, nb-2, w-2): 10; Total (in 75.4 overs): 248.

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-79, 3-88, 4-126, 5-156, 6-210, 7-216, 8-219, 9-237.

New Zealand ‘A’ bowling: Mason 12-4-23-1, Boult 14-0-42-1, Arnel 11-2-48-0, McCullum 30.4-2-90-6, Broom 2-0-8-0, Watling 6-0-31-2.

New Zealand — 1st innings: A. Redmond (batting) 31, B.J. Watling (batting) 2; Extras (lb-1, nb-1, w-1): 3; Total (for no loss in 12 overs): 36.

India ‘A’ bowling: Dinda 5-0-10-0, Tyagi 3-1-10-0, Mishra 2-1-7-0, Parmar 2-0-8-0.

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