Cricket: India A sweep NZ A

Anton Devcich. Photo / Tania Newman

India A completed a 3-0 clean sweep of their 50-over series against New Zealand A in Vizakhapatnam.

However the tourists should be kicking themselves after getting into a good position for a first win on the tour.

After making a competitive 290 for nine on the back of a consistent batting display, India A needed 30 to win off the last four overs with three wickets left, and got there with four balls for a two-wicket win.

India recovered from 79 for four through a 128-run stand between Kedar Jadhav and Ashok Menaria for the fifth wicket.

Mandeep Singh and Rahul Sharma put on 47 in 35 balls for the eighth wicket and with Singh clubbing 18 off the 48th over from seamer Scott Kuggeleijn it got the Indians home.

Earlier legspinner Todd Astle was treated roughly by allrounder Menaria, who belted 36 off six Astle deliveries, including five sixes, to get India over a sticky patch in their innings.

Menaria hit 69, with eight sixes, while Jadhav made 57. Veteran Mark Gillespie was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets.

Earlier Anton Devcich top scored in an innings when three batsmen made half centuries to enable NZ A to produce their best batting display of the series.

NZ A now head to Sri Lanka for a series of matches starting next Tuesday.

Scores:
New Zealand A 290-9 (A. Devcich 66, C. Anderson 59, T. Latham 53, C. Cachopa 33, S. Kuggeleijn 29; B. Mohanty 2-39) lost to India A 291-8 (A. Menaria 69, K. Jadhav 57, R. Uthappa 46, M. Singh 37 not out; M. Gillespie 3-43) by two wickets.