Cleaver, Chapman put NZ A in driver's seat against India A

Dane Cleaver smashed an unbeaten century as New Zealand A put India A in a tight spot by amassing 385 for five in their first innings on the second day of the first unofficial Test here on Friday. After Will Young (54) completed his half-century, the hosts suffered a mini-collapse, losing three wickets cheaply but Cleaver (111 off 194 balls) and Mark Chapman (85 off 187 balls) resurrected the innings, adding an unbeaten 209 runs for the sixth wicket. Cleaver sent the ball across the fence 16 times, while Chapman smashed eight boundaries in his innings.

At stumps, the duo was at the crease with New Zealand taking an overall lead of 169 runs. On day one, India A were all out for 216 in their first innings. Resuming at 105 for 2, overnight batsmen Young (54) and Ajaz Patel (38) added 66 runs before the former was sent back in the 49th over by S Sandeep Warrier.

Young's fifty was laced with six boundaries, while Patel hit four fours and three sixes in his 66-ball innings. In the 50th over, Glenn Phillips (4) was trapped in front of the wicket by Shahbaz Nadeem, while one over later Patel was dismissed by Warrier as the Kiwis slipped to 176 for 5. Cleaver and Chapman then joined hands to take the Black Caps closer to the 400-run mark. For India A, Sandeep Warrier claimed two wickets, while Mohammed Siraj (1/104), Ishan Porel (1/61), Shahbaz Nadeem (1/67) accounted for one wicket each.

Brief Score

India A: 216 all out in 54.1 overs

New Zealand A: 385 for 5 in 114 overs (Dane Cleaver 111, Mark Chapman 85; S Sandeep Warrier 2/74).