The Hindu : Sport : India ‘A’ collapses, series drawn

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India ‘A’ collapses, series drawn

Karthik Krishnaswamy

The host was bowled out for 100 in pursuit of 234 from at least 60 overs

— Photo: K. Pichumani

NOT GOOD ENOUGH: India ‘A’ skipper Suresh Raina is caught short of the crease by a James Marshall throw.

Chennai: Forty minutes from close of play on day four of the second ‘A’ team four-day match at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Monday, India ‘A’, set 234 to win in a minimum of 60 overs after New Zealand ‘A’ had declared 35 minutes before lunch, lost its final wicket at 100. With the 133-run win, New Zealand ‘A’ drew the two-match series one-all.

India ‘A’s top order approached the middle-distance chase like a 100-metre dash on steroids. M. Vijay, first innings near-centurion, went for zero, top edging his pull off Iain O’Brien from outside off stump into Peter Fulton’s hands at mid-off. Cheteshwar Pujara, at number three, also went for a duck, slicing O’Brien straight to Nathan McCullum at second slip.

Ganguly’s fall

After lunch, Sourav Ganguly’s match ended with his open bat face scooping a shoulder-high catch to B.J. Watling at gully off Bradley Scott. James Marshall then had his second direct hit of the game, knocking down the stumps at the bowler’s end after Raina had kicked his single off his backfoot, placing McCullum to Marshall’s right at cover. Ravindra Jadeja tried to cut Scott from too close, inside-edging into Reece Young’s dipping gloves inches behind the stumps; 25 for five.

Sahil Kukreja, who had looked on dazed at the chaos from the other end, and Wriddhiman Saha hung on grimly, thrusting their pads at the spinners, for an hour and a quarter, until O’Brien was brought back from the Pattabiraman Gate end. The seamer got one to shoot slightly low at Saha, making off-and-middlish contact with his indecisively advanced front pad.

The fat lady, who had cleared her throat for 23 overs, finally burst forth when Pradeep Sangwan hung his bat limply at McCullum in his twenty second over, and edged to Marshall at slip.

Brave declaration

Earlier, New Zealand ‘A’ lost four wickets to spin before declaring at 194 for seven, a decision that seemed dicey at the time.

“We needed to win to draw the series. It was a bit risky, but I knew the declaration would put them in two minds — whether to go for the runs or defend,” said New Zealand ‘A’ skipper Fulton after the game. “Once we got Raina’s wicket, I knew India couldn’t win.”

The scores:

New Zealand ‘A’ — 1st innings: 315.

India ‘A’ — 1st innings: 276.

New Zealand ‘A’ — 2nd innings: A. Redmond c Jadeja b R.P. Singh 5, M. Guptill lbw b Raina 41, P. Fulton b Mishra 33, G. Hay c Raina b Jadeja 23, J. Marshall c Vijay b Raina 43, B.J. Watling (not out) 34, R. Young c Vijay b Mishra 4, N. McCullum c sub b Mishra 0, B. Scott (not out) 4; Extras (b-6, lb-1) 7, Total (for seven wickets decl. in 61 overs): 194.

Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-70, 3-92, 4-129, 5-158, 6-176, 7-182.

India ‘A’ bowling: R.P. Singh 6-0-23-0, Dinda 3-2-10-0, Sangwan 2-0-17-0, Ganguly 2-0-9-0, Mishra 22-5-65-3, Jadeja 16-6-36-1, Raina 10-2-27-2.

India ‘A’ — 2nd innings: S. Kukreja c Young b Redmond 31, M. Vijay c Fulton b O’Brien 0, C. Pujara c McCullum b O’Brien 0, S. Ganguly c Watling b Scott 6, S. Raina (run out) 5, R. Jadeja c Young b Scott 4, W. Saha lbw b O’Brien 16, A. Mishra c Guptill b Redmond 7, R.P. Singh lbw b McCullum 7, P. Sangwan c Marshall b McCullum 11, A. Dinda (not out) 10, Extras (lb-2, w-1) 3; Total (in 58.2 overs): 100.

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-1, 3-12, 4-21, 5-25, 6-56, 7-69, 8-78, 9-78.

New Zealand ‘A’ bowling: O’Brien 13-5-30-3, Boult 4-1-5-0, Scott 4-2-5-2, McCullum 21.2-8-33-2, Redmond 16-6-25-2.

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