Christchurch, Nov 2 Mohammed Siraj warmed up nicely for the two-Test series by taking four wickets in 35 overs for India A even as New Zealand A’s lower-order showed a lot of grit to earn a 78-run first innings lead on the penultimate day of the second unofficial ‘Test’.
Replying to India A’s first innings score of 346, New Zealand A, who were reduced to 338 for 8, finished their first innings at 424. The last two wickets yielded 86 runs to provide the hosts a handy lead.
Speedster Siraj took 4/118 in 35 overs while seamer Mukesh Kumar grabbed 5 for 87 in 29 overs to share the bulk of the spoils.
At stumps, India A reached 32 for no loss in the second innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal (20 batting) and Sai Sudharsan (11 batting) negotiating the remaining 11 overs of the day safely.
Brief Scores: India A 1st Innings 346 and 32 for no loss (Yashasvi Jaiswal 20 batting). NZ A 1st Innings 424 (Matthew Boyle 110, Dean Foxcroft 93, Mukesh Kumar 5/87, Mohammed Siraj 4/118).
(PTI News)
