Spinners bowl New Zealand A to win

Spin twins Tarun Nethula and Nathan McCullum have bowled New Zealand A to a 72-run win over Baroda in their final match at the Buchi Babu All India Invitation tournament in Chennai today [Sunday 23 August].

Chasing New Zealand A’s first-day total of 240, Baroda started the day at five without loss but were soon in trouble.

Medium pacer Brent Arnel took the first wicket at 33, and McCullum removed the other opener at the same score.

Four more wickets fell in the opening session – one each to Arnel and Nethula and two to McCullum – as Baroda struggled to gain momentum, going to lunch at six for 108.

A batting recovery looked possible with a brief seventh-wicket stand of 39, but the New Zealanders were soon back in command after two more wickets to Nethula plus a run out – three wickets falling in the space of 15 runs.

The final Baroda pair grafted 32 runs but it was too late – New Zealand A dismissing the side for 168 in the 49th over for a convincing victory.

Auckland legspinner Nethula finished with 4 for 44 from 10.3 overs, while McCullum – who flies to Sri Lanka next week for the BLACKCAPS limited overs series, took 3 for 38. Shane Bond didn’t take a wicket but was the most economical of the New Zealand attack, conceding just 21 runs from his 11 overs.

The match was the last for New Zealand in the tournament, as they did not make the semi-finals after a rained-out draw and a loss on their first two rounds. The team has a one-day friendly match on Tuesday before finishing its India campaign.

ENDS

Short scorecard:
New Zealand A – 240 all out in 86.5 overs (Hopkins 53, Fulton 40, Broom 36, Mills 33, How 22; Varoda 5/34, Parmar 4/69)

Baroda – 168 all out in 48.3 overs (Shah 44, Vahora 23 n.o.; Nethula 4/44, McCullum 3/38, Arnel 2/22)

Win to New Zealand A by 72 runs.