Promising all-rounder Parveez Rasool impressed with a five-wicket haul but West Indies 'A' held the edge as they made inroads into the India 'A' batting line-up after being all out for 429 in the first unofficial Test here today.
At stumps on the second day of the match, India 'A' were in a spot of bother at 124 for three, with skipper Chesteshwar Pujara back in the pavilion. The hosts were trailing the Kirk Edwards-led side by 305 runs with seven wickets in hand.
Manpreet Juneja was unbeaten on 47 off 77 balls while Harshad Khadiwale was batting on five. Opener Lokesh Rahul made 46 off 100 balls at the Gangothri Glades Cricket Ground. Earlier, Jammu and Kahsmir cricketer Rasool emerged as star of the day by taking five wickets for 116 runs in 45 overs.
While the rest of the bowlers struggled to get rid of the West Indies tail-enders, the 24-year-old off-spinner always seemed to be on the lookout for wickets. Resuming at 264 for five, the last five West Indian batsmen frustrated the Indian bowlers by contributing a commendable 192 runs. West Indies 'A' lost their overnight batsman Chadwick Walton in the fourth over of the day.
Walton could only add eight runs to his overnight unbeaten 27 before being trapped leg before by pacer Ishwar Pandey. Assad Fadudin (not out 86) and Nikita Miller (49) then thwarted the Indian bowlers, putting on a crucial 88-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Miller was unfortunately run out by the Pujara-Rohit Motwani combo. His innings came off 86 balls and was studded with five boundaries.
West Indies lost another wicket in the form of Veerasammy Permaul (11), but not before crafting a 42-run stand for the eighth wicket with Fadudin. Rasool then quickly packed off Delorn Johnson (0) and Miguel Cummins (6), leaving Fudadin 14 short of what would have been a well-deserved century. He faced 201 balls, hit 10 fours and a six. In reply, Indian openers - Rahul and Jiwanjot Singh Chouhan - began on a cautious note.
The pair put on 45 runs for the first wicket, before Chouhan was gleefully caught by wicketkeeper Chadwick Walton off left-arm spinner Permaul for 16. Miguel Cummins grabbed the prize wicket of Pujara for three. Suddenly, India 'A' were struggling at 49 for two, but a 60-run stand for the third wicket between Rahul and Juneja put the hosts back on road to recovery.
Juneja, who scored 193 in the second unofficial Test against New Zeland A at Visakhapatnam earlier this month, displayed his class once again. Coming into bat at 49 for two, Juneja got his act right with an aggressive approach, hitting seven boundaries. Rahul, too, found the fence seven times before he was caught by Leon Johnson off Miller.u00a0
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