With a 64-run win over New Zealand ‘A’, India ‘A’ took an unassailable 2-0 lead with a match left in the ongoing one-day series in Vizag. A determined 83 by A Eswaran at the top of the order, a half-century by Deepak Hooda and Vijay Shankar’s quick-fire 61 (off 33) helped set the visitors a 290-run target. While George Worker made a fighting century, Siddharth Kaul (3/25) and Shahbaz Nadeem (4/33) bowled NZ ‘A’ out for 225.
After Rishabh Pant, leading the team in the last two matches, elected to bat in the penultimate game, Eswaran anchored the hosts’ innings with a 104-ball knock. Scott Kuggeleijn left India ‘A’ on 30 for one by sending back Prashant Chopra early in the innings. But Ankeet Bawane forged a solid 86-run stand with the opener to set the foundation for a respectable total until he was sent back by Worker. Although Kuggeleijn followed up with the wicket of Pant to leave the hosts on 121 for three; Eswaran found another able partner in Hooda. The pair boosted the total with a 67-run partnership until the opener was run out by Glenn Phillips.
At 188 for four, Vijay Shankar joined Hooda in adding quick runs to the total. Their blossoming stand was ended for 45 by Matt Henry, who caught Hooda off his win bowling. Shankar continued to fire on with Baba Aparajith until Seth Rance ended his whirlwind knock to leave India ‘A’ on 288 for six. With two balls left, the middle-order batsman took India ‘A’ to 289 for six with Karn Sharma.
Defending a stiff target, Kaul castled Phillips and claimed Will Young to leave NZ ‘A’ on 29 for two. 21 runs later Karn trapped Tom Bruce lbw to peg the visitors further back on 50 for three. However, with Henry Nicholls, Worker strove to rebuild the innings. The duo had taken their side to 124 when S Nadeem struck. The spinner claimed the middle-order bat to end the partnership. But Tom Blundell then partnered the opener in keeping the innings in the fray. The pair had put together 63 runs for the fifth wicket until Kaul claimed Blundell to leave NZ ‘A’ on 187 for five.
Worker looked to power on with the lower half of the lineup but Nadeem struck a timely blow to claim the opener for 108 and left the visitors on 214 for six. He followed up with the wicket of Colin de Grandhome in his next over to tip the balance further in India ‘A’s favour. Eight runs later, Shardul Thakur claimed two off two balls to leave NZ ‘A’ on 225 for nine while Nadeem claimed Rance in the next over to wrap-up the visitors’ innings with 21 balls to spare.
