Daijiworld Media Network - Sports
Lincoln, Oct 25: Devdutt Padikkal and B Sai Sudharsan led India's fightback against New Zealand A on the second day of the first four-day match in Lincoln, but the visitors still trailed by 98 runs at stumps.
India A were 106 for two in their second innings after being bowled out for 113 in the first innings. Padikkal remained unbeaten on 56, while Sai Sudharsan was not out on 39, with their third-wicket partnership worth 96 runs off 188 balls.
New Zealand A had earlier taken a commanding 204-run first-innings lead after scoring 317. The hosts had reduced India A to 10 for two in the second innings, dismissing openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal cheaply before Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan steadied the innings.
Rahul was dismissed hit-wicket while attempting to keep the ball away from the stumps after it took the inside edge of his bat. Padikkal survived an early chance when Rhys Mariu dropped a catch at second slip off Kristian Clarke. Sai Sudharsan, meanwhile, played a composed innings without offering a clear chance.
The innings provided valuable time in the middle for Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan, who could be competing for the No. 3 position ahead of India's upcoming Test series. Expected to open in the Tests, Rahul and Jaiswal had limited success in the match, scoring zero and four, and 17 and five, respectively, across their two innings.
Earlier, New Zealand A resumed the day at 135 for three and extended their lead with contributions from the middle and lower order.
Dean Foxcroft scored 51, registering his 17th first-class half-century, while Curtis Heaphy made 44. Anshul Kamboj claimed three wickets to reduce the hosts to 218 for seven, dismissing Heaphy, Matthew Boyce and Simon Keene.
Foxcroft then added 33 runs with Clarke for the eighth wicket before Washington Sundar dismissed him. Clarke accelerated after a cautious start, scoring 42 and striking boundaries against the Indian bowlers. He also dominated the final-wicket stand with Zak Gibson, hitting sixes off Akash Deep and Kamboj.
Auqib Nabi took three wickets, while Kamboj also finished with three. Akash Deep claimed two wickets as New Zealand A were eventually bowled out for 317 in 89.3 overs.
India A conceded 46 extras, which further strengthened the hosts' first-innings advantage. Despite the late fightback from Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan, New Zealand A remained in a strong position at the close of play.