Mukesh and Siraj strike early as New Zealand A reach 77/3 in second unofficial Test
Mukesh Kumar and Mohammed Siraj claimed early wickets as New Zealand A reached 77 for 3 in reply to India A in the second unofficial Test on Saturday, leaving the visitors 269 runs behind.
India A had earlier closed the opening day at 291 for seven, with captain Dhruv Jurel unbeaten on 99 off 155 balls and Devdutt Padikkal contributing 80; Akash Deep was 25 at stumps following a 69-run eighth-wicket stand in 18.4 overs with Jurel.
Mukesh Kumar produced a potent spell of swing and seam, removing Tim Robinson and Curtis Heaphy in the same over; Robinson was trapped lbw for 3 off nine balls and, three deliveries later, Heaphy edged a fuller delivery for 4 (21 balls) to gully where Yashasvi Jaiswal took a low catch.
Mohammed Siraj provided India A with another breakthrough when he dismissed Rhys Mariu, bowling a length ball outside off that came in; Mariu (4 off 17, one boundary) edged to wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, who dived full length to his right to complete the catch.
In reply, Dean Foxcroft and Matthew Boyle rebuilt New Zealand A’s innings, adding 64 for the fourth wicket from 83 balls as the visitors reached 77/3 after 21.5 overs and trailed by 269 runs.
India A’s innings had earlier included a solid opening phase after Yashasvi Jaiswal was trapped lbw by Fraser Sheat on the fourth ball of the match; Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan steadied the side to 87 for one at lunch, with Sudharsan finishing 41 before being caught behind off Jarrod McKay.
The hosts then suffered a sudden middle-order collapse when New Zealand A struck three wickets for seven runs: Yash Rathod edged Brett Randell to the wicketkeeper for 13, Padikkal was out attempting a cut to Sheat when the ball took an edge and disturbed the stumps, and Ravichandran Smaran was trapped lbw by Sheat the very next ball; Washington Sundar was also later trapped in front by Sheat.
Jurel anchored India A’s recovery, reaching his fifty in 93 balls and then attacking McKay with three boundaries in four deliveries, including two fours and a six in succession as he drove and pulled against McKay and Brett Randell; he remained unbeaten on 99 as the day ended.
The four-day second unofficial Test will resume with New Zealand A 77/3 in their reply and India A having finished the opening day 291 for seven with Dhruv Jurel unbeaten on 99.
