India A and New Zealand A End First Unofficial Test in a Draw

India A and New Zealand A Draw in First Unofficial Test

In the inaugural unofficial Test at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln, India A and New Zealand A concluded their match in a draw. The highlight of the game was Devdutt Padikkal's impressive 199 runs and Curtis Heaphy's unbeaten 90.

First Innings Challenges and Resilience

India A faced difficulties in their first innings, collapsing to 113 all out. Yash Rathod was the top scorer with an unbeaten 44 runs from 49 balls, while Padikkal added 32 runs off 77 balls. For New Zealand, Simon Keene excelled with the ball, taking five wickets.

New Zealand A responded strongly, scoring 317 runs. Rhys Mariu led the charge with 76 runs off 137 balls, supported by Dean Foxcroft's 51 runs from 79 balls. Curtis Heaphy also chipped in with 44 runs off 134 balls, giving the hosts a significant first-innings advantage.

India A's Strong Comeback and Match Conclusion

In their second innings, India A made a remarkable recovery, finishing at 516 all out. Padikkal narrowly missed a double century, scoring 199 runs off 248 balls, including 24 fours and three sixes. Sai Sudharsan contributed a solid 91 runs off 184 balls, while Rathod added 66 runs off 72 balls. Washington Sundar also played a crucial role with 52 runs off 80 balls, putting New Zealand A under pressure.

Chasing a challenging target, New Zealand A ended their second innings at 187/9. Heaphy remained not out at 90 runs off 187 balls, while Foxcroft scored 42 runs off 67 balls. The Indian bowlers, particularly Auqib Nabi, who took three wickets in each innings for a total of six wickets, kept the pressure on. Despite India A's strong performance and Padikkal's remarkable innings, New Zealand A's resilience led to the match ending in a draw.