India A collapse to 113 all out against New Zealand A
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- India A scored only 113 runs at Lincoln on Saturday, October 24.
- Five India A batters scored zero runs. Simon Keene took five wickets for 24 runs.
- New Zealand A reached 135 for 3 at stumps. They lead by 22 runs after day one.
India A were bowled out for just 113 runs on Saturday. New Zealand A bowled them out in Lincoln. Five batters scored zero.
What happened
New Zealand A asked India A to bat first. The pitch at Bert Sutcliffe Oval had green grass on it. Green pitches help fast bowlers move the ball.
KL Rahul opened the batting with Yashasvi Jaiswal. Rahul fell for zero after eight balls. Fraser Sheat had him caught behind the stumps.
Jaiswal made 17 runs from 45 balls. Zak Gibson had him caught by Matthew Boyle. The pair had added 30 runs for the second wicket.
Jaiswal hit two fours. But he struggled to control his defence. Gibson used the sideways movement well.
Devdutt Padikkal made 32 runs from 77 balls. He hit five fours. But he could not turn his start into a big score.
Sai Sudharsan fell for zero after 13 balls. Simon Keene bowled him. Captain Dhruv Jurel made just one run.
Washington Sundar also scored zero. Gibson dismissed him in his next over. India A slipped to 58 for 6 at one stage.
Yash Rathod fought back from the lower order. He finished unbeaten on 44 runs. He hit three fours and three sixes.
Anshul Kamboj made 10 runs. Kristian Clarke broke their brief partnership. Keene took the last three wickets.
Rathod attacked more once the tail arrived. He kept finding the boundary. His stand took India past 100 runs.
India A were all out in under 40 overs. Keene finished with five wickets for 24 runs. Gibson took three wickets.
New Zealand A used four right-arm fast bowlers. Clarke and Sheat took one wicket each. All ten wickets fell to pace.
The ground sits 22 kilometres from Christchurch. Lincoln is a small town near the city. The senior India side plays their second T20I at Hagley Oval.
Why it matters
An unofficial Test is a four-day match. It is played by second teams, not main national sides. Test cricket often rewards patience over four days.
India A fielded a strong batting line-up. Rahul, Jaiswal and Sudharsan are well-known names. Rahul and Sudharsan both scored zero.
The green pitch gave bowlers early help. The ball moved sideways off the seam. India A batters could not build partnerships.
New Zealand A seamers bowled with discipline. They kept pressure on from both ends. India A had no answers on day one.
A duck means a batter scored zero runs. It is one of cricket's oldest terms. Five ducks in one innings hurts any team.
A green pitch keeps grass on the surface. The grass helps the ball swing in the air. It also helps the ball seam off the pitch.
A four-day match gives batters a second innings. India A will bat again later in the match. Their second innings will test what they learned.
The senior India side also toured Christchurch this week. They won the first T20I against New Zealand there on October 22.
What happens next
New Zealand A ended day one on 135 for 3. Captain Rhys Mariu scored 76 runs. His side leads by 22 runs.
India A fought back late in the day. Mukesh Choudhary dismissed Mariu near the close. Auqib Nabi then took two wickets in two balls.
Mariu and Curtis Heaphy opened for New Zealand A. They passed India's total with ease.
Mariu got one lucky break along the way. Jaiswal dropped a tough catch at third slip.
Early on, India A bowlers bowled defensive lengths. They could not build pressure on the batters. Day two needs a sharper plan.
Can India A take early wickets on day two? Can their batters adjust to the seam movement? Day two will give answers.
The lead is still small. India A need early wickets on day two. Then their batters must do much better.
The teams play three unofficial Tests in all. Each match lasts four days. The second Test starts at Hagley Oval on October 31.
The third Test starts in Lincoln on November 7. India A will want a better batting show there. For now, day two in Lincoln is the next test.
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