Shreyas Iyer slammed a brilliant, stroke filled century (108, 97b, 14x4, 2x6) to help India-A to stay on top against New Zealand-A on the second day of the four-day Test match at Mulapadu Cricket Complex here on Saturday.
The home team scored 320 in its first innings to take a 173-run lead and then struck twice to leave the visitors at 64 for two at close of play.
Earlier, even as leg-spinner Ish Sodhi returned with a five-wicket haul — albeit a little expensive — on a pitch which by no means was a turner, it was Shreyas’ innings which kept the New Zealand team at bay.
The quick-footed Shreyas was in a hurry to take the attack to the rival camp and was successful, too. He packed lot of power in his strokes — even a mistimed pull off left-arm spinner George Worker sailed over the fence, once. His carefree approach was in striking contrast to the cautious batting by the others.
First to disappoint was India-A captain Karun Nair, who was bowled trying to cut Sodhi in the sixth over of the day. R. Samarth, after hitting a half-century, fell to pacer Scott Kuggeleijn. Even Hanuma Vihari failed to come good, driving Sodhi uppishly straight to short cover on the stroke of lunch.
The India-A innings was all about Shreyas’ class and a breezy knock by Rishabh Pant later on, as the Kiwi bowlers — with the exception of Sodhi — failed to make an impact in extremely hot and humid conditions.
In the final session, overcautious New Zealand-A openers George Worker and Jeet Raval defied the home team bowlers, especially the spinners, till the 18th over. Then, in the space of six balls Raval fell, bowled trying to sweep left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem, and captain Henry Nicholls was pushed on to the backfoot to be trapped lbw by leggie Karn Sharma.
The scores:
New Zealand-A — 1st innings: 147.
India A — 1st innings: R. Samarth c Worker b Kuggeleijn 54, Priyank Panchal c Raval b Sodhi 14, Sudip Chatterjee lbw b Sodhi 1, Karun Nair b Sodhi 20, Shreyas Iyer c Nicholls b Sodhi 108, Hanuma Vihari c Worker b Sodhi 16, Rishabh Pant c Seifert b Worker 67, Karn Sharma c Blundell b Ferguson 5, Shardul Thakur c Sodhi b Astle 6, Shahbaz Nadeem c Nicholls b Astle 0, Md Siraj (not out) 0; Extras (nb-10, w-1, b-16, lb-2): 29; Total (in 67.2 overs): 320.
Fall of wickets: 1-50, 2-60, 3-94, 4-114, 5-208, 6-270, 7-292, 8-319, 9-319.
New Zealand-A bowling: Henry 9-1-37-0, Ferguson 13-1-48-1, Kuggeleijn 9-2-54-1, Astle 10.2-1-55-2, Sodhi 22-1-94-5, Worker 4-1-14-1.
New Zealand-A — 2nd innings: George Worker (batting) 28, Jeet Raval b Nadeem 21, Henry Nicholls lbw b Karn 1, Will Young (batting) 11; Extras (lb-2, nb-1): 3; Total (for two wkts. in 32 overs): 64.
Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-42.
India-A bowling: Shardul 4-0-6-0, Siraj 3-3-0-0, Nadeem 11-3-24-1, Karn 11-2-26-1, Karun 3-1-6-0 .
