Batsmen Put India A in Command on Day 1

November 17, 2018 Phaneendra Varma Cricket Scoops, Sports Scoops 0

Courtesy four fifty-plus scores, India A finished Day 1 on a high against New Zealand A in the first four-day game of the three match series. Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Hanuma Vihari and Parthiv Patel all scored half-centuries to help India go to stumps with 340 runs on the board on Day 1 at Mount Maunganui.

On the other hand, two other experienced players in the squad Murali Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane both failed with the bat. Vijay who scored just 28 runs opened India A batting along with Shaw whereas Ajinkya Rahane batting at no. 5 departed after scoring just 12 runs.

Opener Shaw scored 62 runs against New Zealand A today and with this knock he strengthened his claim for an opening spot in Australia, following a good show against West Indies last month. Mayank Agarwal who is knocking on the international door for quite some time, scored 65 runs.

Hanuma Vihari after making 86 runs fell just on the stroke of stumps and his wicket brought down the curtains of play on Day 1. Wicket keeper Parthiv Patel remained unbeaten on 79* at stumps and will surely be looking to score a century on Day 2 just to put his name up for the Australia Test series.

India had earlier also named Rohit Sharma in India A’s squad for this first game but they released him considering his work load. And thereby making him available for the first T20I of the 3-match series against Australia in Brisbane on Wednesday (Nov 21).

The ongoing first 4-day game of the three match series will be played till Monday (Nov 19) at Mount Maunganui before moving to Hamilton for the second game starting from November 23.

Brief Scores:

India A – 340/5 (Hanuma Vihari – 86, Parthiv Patel – 79*, Blair Tickner – 2/48, Theo van Woerkom – 1/54) at stumps on Day 1 at Mount Maunganui against New Zealand A

Keep reading ReadScoops.com for similar updates on the India A tour of New Zealand.