NEW ZEALAND A v INDIA A
Second One-Day Match
9 December 2018 at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
Result: India A won by five wickets, claiming the Series with a game to spare
A fine, controlled century by India A captain Manish Pandey secured a five-wicket victory and series win for his team against New Zealand A in the second 50-over day-night clash at Bay Oval.
After their four-wicket win at the same venue two days earlier, India A chased down their target of 300 with just one over to spare, finishing on 300 for five to wrap up the three-game rubber 2-0, ahead of the final match of the tour this Tuesday at the Mount.
The significant partnerships of the India A innings were back to back. First Pandey, who has played 23 ODIs for his country, and Shreyas Iyer added 90 for the third wicket at six an over.
Pandey and Vijay Shankar then put on 123 for the fourth wicket, Shankar following his unbeaten 87 of the first game in the series with 59.
When offspinner Cole McConchie removed Shankar and Ishan Kishan with consecutive balls, there was a brief wobble before Pandey completed his century to nail the win. Pandey finished on 111 off 109.
Apart from some erratic running between the wickets with Shankar, it had been an impressive performance by the Indian captain, and his side.
There were two wickets apiece for seamer Hamish Bennett and McConchie, who fought back well from a rough start.
Earlier, New Zealand A's innings had two distinct parts to it.
Opener George Worker and in-form Will Young laid a terrific platform with their second-wicket stand of 190 in 32.1 overs.
Young, the only century-maker on the recent NZ A tour to the United Arab Emirates, made a fine 102 off 105 balls, before spearing a catch to point. It was his third century for the team and second in the white ball format, all in recent months.
There were three sixes and six fours in his innings, and one six: a cracking blow well back on the bank at mid-wicket. Worker again demonstrated his ability to take control of a one-day innings with his 99 off 106 balls, before he was yorked on the cusp of his own milestone against left-arm spinner Axar Patel.
From 199 for one, NZ A lost their way and will rue having handed over a position from which they should have got beyond 300.
They lost five for 37 in 10 overs, including dangerous Corey Anderson, who hasn't been able to get going and was caught at long on second ball, before some late hitting from Daryl Mitchell and McConchie restored the innings. The pair put on 59 in 6.2 overs, Mitchell belting 45 off 28 balls with four sixes.
The wickets were spread about with two apiece for medium pacer Navdeep Saini and left-armer Khaleen Ahmed in front of an excited band of supporters.
Despite going down at the death in the decider, New Zealand A can hold their heads high after two big-scoring runfests against a competitive side, and can take plenty of heart into this Tuesday's final Day-Nighter of a hard-fought A tour.
