A magnificent half-century from Tim Seifert successfully guided New Zealand A to 121 for 3 in their first innings by the end of the second day of the third unofficial Test here Saturday. At stumps, Seifert was batting at 55 and was accompanied with Rachin Ravindra (5*).
Earlier this day, India resumed their innings at 248/4 but soon lost their remaining six wickets for just 75 runs. The pace duo of Lockie Ferguson (4/88) and Doug Bracewell (5/78) tormented the visitors with three wickets each.
In reply, New Zealand A were 50 for two in 17.2 overs, before Seifert (55*) and GD Phillips (27) steadied the ship with a 59-run third-wicket partnership.
Seifert had eight hits to the fence in his 140-ball unbeaten innings.
At the draw of stumps, Ravindra (5*) was giving company to Seifert with New Zealand A still trailing by 202 runs with seven wickets remaining in their 1st innings.
Earlier, Shubman Gill, who was three runs shy of a fifty on the opening day, added 15 runs to his score before being dismissed by Ferguson in the 76th over, triggering a collapse.
Overnight batsman V Shankar (71), too, was sent packing in the 78th over by Ferguson as India A slipped to 275 for six.
The 27-year-old pacer then picked his third wicket of the day, getting rid of K Gowtham (1).
K S Bharat (47) threw his bat to good effect, blasting seven fours and a six in his run-a-ball 47. But he soon lost support at the other end as Bracewell removed Mohammed Siraj (0), Rajneesh Gurbani (0) before accounting for the India A wicketkeeper-batsman.
Brief score:
India A: 323 all-out in 89 overs (V Shankar 71, Shubham Gill 62; Bracewell 5/78, L Ferguson 4/88)
New Zealand A: 121 for 3 in 52 overs (TL Seifert 55 not out; Mohammed Siraj 2/25).