HUBBALLI (Karnataka): Skipper Priyank Panchalis stubborn 87 and a fight undefeated 74 by the wicketkeeper Kona Srikar Bharat took India A to 229 for six on day two of the unofficial second Test in the rain against New Zealand A.
After the first day’s game was called off due to rain, the truncated second day saw 66 overs thrown, and most of the top and middle-ranked hitters failed to make an impression.
Skipper Panchal’s shot hit 148 balls, with 12 fours and two sixes, while Bharat’s undefeated shot saw him face 104 balls while reaching 10 limits.
The Panchal-Bharat duo saved India A with a fifth-wicket stand of 117 after being left in a 68-for-four tangle.
The three centurions of the previous “Test” — Abhimanyu Easwaran (22), middle order hitter Rajat Patidar (4) and NT Tilak Varma (0) — were fired cheaply while Ruturaj Gaikwad (5) endured his second failure of the series.
Shardul Thakur (26), a late addition to the squad, was involved in a 38-point stand with Bharat to take India A past the 200-point mark.
For New Zealand A, guards Jacob Duffy (2/55) and Logan van Beek (2/39) took two wickets each, while spinners Rachin Ravindra (1/20) and Sean Solia (1/58) got one wicket each.
Panchal and Easwaran had started on a high note after stringing together 37 runs on first-hour shots.
Easwaran had done most of the scoring so far with five limits before right-arm point guard Van Beek, who came on as a single change, had skipper Tom Bruce catch the opener in the slips.
Another delivery outside Van Beek saw Gaikwad edge one over keeper Cam fletcher behind the stumps.
Patidar, who became restless after playing 16 point balls, was knocked out by Duffy, who earned a comeback.
In his second spell, Duffy rounding the wicket broke through Tilak’s defense.
However, Panchal and Bharat didn’t hold back their strokeplay as they scored 117 runs in just over 25 overs at a pace of over 4.5 runs per over, before the skipper was fired by Solia.
Brief scores: India A 229/6 (Priyank Panchal 87, KS Bharat 74 batting, Logan Van Beek 2/39, Jacob Duffy 2/55) v NZ A.
After the first day’s game was called off due to rain, the truncated second day saw 66 overs thrown, and most of the top and middle-ranked hitters failed to make an impression.
Skipper Panchal’s shot hit 148 balls, with 12 fours and two sixes, while Bharat’s undefeated shot saw him face 104 balls while reaching 10 limits.
The Panchal-Bharat duo saved India A with a fifth-wicket stand of 117 after being left in a 68-for-four tangle.
The three centurions of the previous “Test” — Abhimanyu Easwaran (22), middle order hitter Rajat Patidar (4) and NT Tilak Varma (0) — were fired cheaply while Ruturaj Gaikwad (5) endured his second failure of the series.
Shardul Thakur (26), a late addition to the squad, was involved in a 38-point stand with Bharat to take India A past the 200-point mark.
For New Zealand A, guards Jacob Duffy (2/55) and Logan van Beek (2/39) took two wickets each, while spinners Rachin Ravindra (1/20) and Sean Solia (1/58) got one wicket each.
Panchal and Easwaran had started on a high note after stringing together 37 runs on first-hour shots.
Easwaran had done most of the scoring so far with five limits before right-arm point guard Van Beek, who came on as a single change, had skipper Tom Bruce catch the opener in the slips.
Another delivery outside Van Beek saw Gaikwad edge one over keeper Cam fletcher behind the stumps.
Patidar, who became restless after playing 16 point balls, was knocked out by Duffy, who earned a comeback.
In his second spell, Duffy rounding the wicket broke through Tilak’s defense.
However, Panchal and Bharat didn’t hold back their strokeplay as they scored 117 runs in just over 25 overs at a pace of over 4.5 runs per over, before the skipper was fired by Solia.
Brief scores: India A 229/6 (Priyank Panchal 87, KS Bharat 74 batting, Logan Van Beek 2/39, Jacob Duffy 2/55) v NZ A.