Karn Sharma and Shahbaz Nadeem ran through the New Zealand ‘A’ line-up twice to bowl India ‘A’ to an innings and 31-run win in the first four-day match. While the bowlers kept the visitors on a tight leash; Shreyas Iyer (108 off 97) complemented by Rishabh Pant (67 off 41) and R Samarth boosted the hosts to a solid 320 to tip the balance in India ‘A’s favour.
With four-wicket hauls in both New Zealand ‘A’ innings, Nadeem (4/39 and 4/51) and Karn (4/58 and 4/62) handed India ‘A’ a resounding win.
After electing to bat first in Vijayawada, New Zealand ‘A’ were bundled out for 147 runs in the first innings by the spin duo. Nadeem started the wreckage by accounting for George Worker to end the opening stand for 72. Six runs later, the left-arm spinner trapped Henry Nicholls lbw. Without a run added to the score-line, Jeet Raval was dismissed by Mohammed Siraj in the following over. In his next over the pacer castled Will Young and reduced NZ ‘A’ to 79 for four. With the team on 81, Nadeem dealt a double blow by claiming Tom Blundell and Todd Astle in the same over. While Tim Seifert stood at one end, Karn claimed the last four wickets to bowl the opposition out in a mere 63 overs on Day 1.
Samarth and Priyank Panchal then came to the crease to script India ‘A’s reply. However, with the team on 50, Panchal was dismissed by Ish Sodhi. 10 runs later, the bowler also accounted for Sudip Chatterjee. The opener then saw the team through to Stumps at 71 for two with Karun Nair.
After adding 23 runs to the overnight score, India ‘A’ lost skipper Nair in the morning. With Iyer, the opener then took the home team past the three-figure mark. However, with the partnership worth 20 runs, Samarth was sent back by Scott Kuggeleign.
Iyer them forged a solid stand with Hanuma Vihari to shape the Indian innings. The blossoming partnership was ended on 94 by Sodhi who claimed Vihari to leave India ‘A’ on 208 for five. Batting at a quick pace, Iyer and Pant continued to add runs to the tally. 62 runs later, the middle-order bat’s flourishing innings ended. The wicket-keeper batsman then continued to boost the hosts' innings. Pant had taken India ‘A’ past the 300-run mark when Worker claimed him. Only one run was added to the India ‘A’ total after Pant’s departure as Astle claimed Nadeem and Shardul Thakur to wrap-up the innings. While the bowlers had set up the game, the batsmen put India ‘A’ in a commanding position with a 173-run lead.
Nadeem bowled Raval to give India their first breakthrough by ending the opening stand for 41 in NZ ‘A’s second innings. And Karn claimed Nicholls in the next over. Worker then took the team to stumps at 64 for two with Young.
The opener was the first to be sent back on the third morning by Karn. The leg-spinner claimed both the overnight batsmen in the first session to leave NZ ‘A’ on 81 for four. It was all downhill for the visitors from there on. Shardul Thakur claimed Blundell and Astle to leave the side tottering on 99 for six. Kuggeleijn and Seifert then took the visiting team to Lunch on Day 3 at 118 for six.
In the second session, Nadeem and Karn ran through the lower-order to bowl New Zealand ‘A’ out for 142 in 63.1 overs and take India ‘A’ to a victory with more than a day to spare in the match.
