Bad Light and Heaphy’s Resistance Deny India A in Lincoln Thriller

Lincoln: India A were one wicket away from a remarkable comeback victory when the light closed in. New Zealand A, 170 for 9 and still 143 runs adrift of a target of 313, survived through Curtis Heaphy’s unbeaten 90 and the intervention of the umpires, who took the players off with about 17 overs remaining in the day.

The draw will feel like a defeat for India A and a reprieve for the hosts. India A had been dismissed for 113 on the first day and conceded a first-innings lead of 204. That they came within a single wicket of victory says much about the scale of their second-innings response.

Nabi’s New-Ball Blitz

Auqib Nabi was the architect of India A’s charge on the final morning. He struck three times in the space of eight legal deliveries, targeting the stumps against New Zealand A’s top order. He swung the ball in sharply from wide of the crease to hit Rhys Mariu’s middle stump with the first ball of his second over. He ended that over by trapping Tim Robinson in front with one that straightened after pitching in line. In his third over he switched to around the wicket for the left-hand batter Matthew Boyle and rattled his stumps by bringing the ball in sharply.

New Zealand A were 13 for 3. Dean Foxcroft joined Heaphy and revived the innings with a 78-run stand that nearly took them to 100. But the resistance was fragile. Foxcroft mistimed a pull off Mukesh Choudhary for 42, and Mitchell Hay was caught behind off Anshul Kamboj. From 110 for 5, the innings slid further as the tail offered Heaphy little support.

Washington Sundar struck just before tea to leave the hosts six down. After the interval, captain Dhruv Jurel turned to Devdutt Padikkal, who struck in quick succession to claim his first two wickets in first-class cricket. Heaphy was left shaking his head at the non-striker’s end when Fraser Sheat and Zak Gibson edged to KL Rahul at first slip. New Zealand A lost four wickets for just 39 runs.

The Last Stand

Heaphy, though, remained. With No. 11 Jayden Lennox for company, he stood between India A and victory for nearly 10 overs. Mukesh switched to left-arm spin in the fading light, but the last wicket never came. The umpires intervened, and the match ended in a draw.

Earlier, India A had resumed on 488 for 8. Washington added just one to his overnight score to fall for 52, while Akash Deep hit some lusty blows off both pace and spin to remain unbeaten on 25 off 17 as India A were all out for 516.

Devdutt Padikkal’s 199 and Sai Sudharsan’s 91 had underpinned that second-innings total, with useful contributions from Rathod and Washington. The batting effort gave India A a chance that had seemed improbable after the first day. Nabi’s five-for in the first innings and three more on the final day, along with his new-ball burst that broke the top order, made him the standout performer.

For India A, the frustration will linger. For New Zealand A, Heaphy’s innings and the weather offered an escape.

                                               

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