India A trail by 219 runs after New Zealand A's 562

India A were left with an arduous task of saving first ufficial Test after New Zealand A tched up a mammoth 562 in ir first innings on Saturday. Responding to India A's first innings total of 216, hosts declared shortly after losing ir seventh wicket on third and penultimate day at Hagley Oval. In ir second essay, visitors were 127 for two when bad light ended play four  overs early, having reduced deficit to 219 runs.

At close of play, Priyank Panchal and Shubman Gill were batting on 67 and 33, respectively. Starting day on a comfortably-placed 385 for five, overnight batsmen Dane Cleaver and Mark Chapman consolidate ir team's position with a 268-run partnership for sixth wicket. Batting on 111 overnight, Cleaver went on to make 196 off 344 balls, while Chapman, who started day 15 short of century, made 114 off 245 deliveries.

Wicketkeeper Cleaver hit 20 boundaries and a six while spending 482 minutes at crease, while Chapman found fence 11 times in his 377-minute stay in middle. Batting at number eight, Cole McConchie made an unbeaten 50 off 74 balls while adding 114 runs for seventh wicket with Cleaver, propping up ir team's total. Indian bowlers toiled hard with Ishan Porel and S Sandeep Warrier getting two apiece. When y came to bat for second time in game, visitors again lost ir prolific opener Mayank Agarwal for ught, in very first over. Abhimanyu Easwaran fell for 26 to leave India A at 59 for two.

Brief Score

India A: 216 and 127/2 in 37 overs (Priyank Panchal 67 batting, Shubman Gill 33 batting)

New Zealand A: 562 for 7 in 160.3 overs (Dane Cleaver 196, Mark Chapman 114; S Sandeep Warrier 2/91, Ishan Porel 2/90).