Sydney, Aug 8: Vinay Kumar with a four-for led India to a nine-wicket win over New Zealand in a three-day match of the Emerging Players Tournament at Townsville.
Set to chase 108 in the fourth innings, India successfully reached the target for the loss of just one wicket. Opener Ajinkya Rahane (45*) and C.M. Gautam (44*), with an unbroken 98-run stand, helped India reach the target in 17.3 overs. Shikhar Dhawan, the only wicket to fall for an individual score of three, was sent back by Derek de Boorder off Doug Bracewell.
Having forced New Zealand to follow on, pacer Vinay Kumar took four for 33 in 12 overs while Jaidev Unadkat took two for 38 in 18 overs to bowl the Kiwis out for 239 in their second innings.
Earlier, India had scored 404 in the first innings and wrapped-up the New Zealand first innings for 272. Manoj Tiwary with 188 runs and Manish Pandey with 96 runs were heroes of India’s first innings score while Iqbal Abdulla and Bhargahav Bhatt picked up three wickets apiece to bowl the Kiwis out well short of India’s first innings score.
In New Zealand’s second innings, Daniel Flynn (80) and Dean Brownlie (88) produced a 148-run stand to help set India a target of 108 runs in the last innings. Flynn eventually fell to Iqbal Abdulla while Shikhar Dhawan dismissed Brownlie. Vinay Kumar, who had earlier picked the wicket of opener Robert Nicol, wrapped-up the tail.
Brief scores: India 1st innings404/6 in 83.4 overs (MK Tiwary 188, M Pandey 96), NZ 1st innings 272 all out in 96.4 overs (Dean Brownlie 55, B Bhatt 3/39, I Abdulla 3/78), NZ 2nd innings 239 all out in 93.2 overs (D Brownlie 88, D Flynn 80, V Kumar 4/33, J Unadkat 2/33), India 2nd Innings 108/1 in 17.3 overs (A Rahane 45, C M Gautam 44).
