India A 340 for 5 (Vihari 85, Parthiv 79*, Agarwal 65, Shaw 62, Tickner 2-48) v New Zealand AFour batsmen struck half-centuries for India A on the first day of the four-dayer against New Zealand A in Mount Maunganui, but M Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane missed out, scoring 28 and 12 respectively, as the visitors went to stumps at 340 for 5.
Of those part of the Test touring party to Australia, middle-order batsman Hanuma Vihari top-scored with 85, before being dismissed off the fourth ball of the 90th over, which proved to be the last ball of the day. Vihari and wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel shared the most lucrative stand of the day for India, adding 138 in 199 balls for the fifth wicket before Vihari fell to the medium-pace of Kyle Jamieson.
India began well after choosing to bat, with openers Vijay and Prithvi Shaw adding 61 before Vijay was bowled by Blair Tickner, who was the pick of the New Zealand A bowlers on the day. Shaw, the more dominant opening partner, went on to score an 88-ball 62 and added 50 with Mayank Agarwal before falling to the left-arm spin of Theo van Woerkom. This was the fifth time in his last seven innings that Shaw was dismissed by a spinner.
Agarwal added another 73 runs with Vihari before becoming Tickner's second victim, for 65. Rahane got off the blocks with a boundary off just his third ball but there wasn't much joy for India's vice-captain thereafter, as Doug Bracewell cleaned him up for a 19-ball 12, leaving the match delicately poised. But the Vihari-Parthiv stand helped India seize control again and finish the day on top.