Cricket: NZ A win thriller

A century from Otago's Neil Broom helped the New Zealand A cricket team to a last-ball victory over the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association 11 in Chennai.

Chasing a target of 293 on the second day of the two-day warm-up match in India, New Zealand made a strong start, with several of the top and middle order posting solid scores.

Broom's 104 was the standout innings of the day, coming off 157 deliveries and including 10 fours and two sixes.

Openers Aaron Redmond and Jamie How posted 60 for the first wicket, with Redmond scoring a quick-fire 41 from 42 balls, including six fours and two sixes. How also went on to score 41.

Broom dominated the middle of the innings, combining with BJ Watling (33) for a fourth-wicket partnership of 58, and with Gareth Hopkins (22) putting on 79 for the sixth.

Four wickets fell for 42 runs after a minor collapse late in the innings, but the final pair of Kyle Mills and Brendon Diamanti saw the side through, with Diamanti hitting a four off the second to last ball of the day.

The team has another two-day warm-up match later this week, before the opening round of the Buchi Babu All India Invitation Tournament on Sunday and Monday.

Short scoreboard
Tamil Nadu Cricket Association 11: 293 all out in 87 overs (Babu 62, Venkataraman 51, Suryapprakash 50, Vignesh 32; McCullum five for 85, Williamson three for 42).

New Zealand A: 294 for nine in 89.5 overs (Broom 104, Redmond 41, How 41, Watling 33, Hopkins 22; Sivakumar three for 42, Shah three for 68).

Result: New Zealand A win by one wicket.

- NZPA