Bengal seamer Mukesh Kumar bowled to a probing channel in all his spells as India A stifled New Zealand A to 156 for five before bad light stopped play on the opening day of the first `Unofficial` Test here.
Playing for a representative national side (India U-19, India U-23, India A or Senior India) for the first time, the right-arm fast-medium bowler got the ball to move both ways and finished with figures of 13-4-34-3, with a wicket in each of his three spells.
In fact, Mukesh got wickets with the new (4.3 overs), semi-new (35.3 overs) and old ball (57.4 overs), as only 61 overs of play was possible out of the maximum 90.
While two left-arm pacers Yash Dayal (13-2-35-1) and Arzan Nagwaswalla (13-2-34-1) also got a wicket apiece, Mukesh was the best bowler on the day by a fair distance.
Not only did he bowl to a probing channel but he also forced the New Zealand batters to play most of his deliveries, unlike the other two who were letting them leave quite a few.
Mukesh drew the first blood when he got one to move a shade as opener Chad Bowes (5) edged one to Ruturaj Gaikwad at first slip.
It wasn`t long before Nagwaswalla struck at the stroke of an hour when left-hander and Black Caps Test player Rachin Ravindra (12), sent to open, tried to drive a fuller length delivery, only to offer a catch to Rajat Patidar at second slip.
Dayal joined the list of wicket-takers when Abhimanyu Easwaran held on to a catch in the second slips to dismiss southpaw Mark Chapman (15), who has played T20Is as recently as the month of July.
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The right-handed No. 3 Joe Carter (73 batting off 170 balls) showed a lot of composure, having come out to bat only in the fifth over. Carter has so far hit 10 fours in his innings.
When Carter and skipper Robert O`Donnell (24) seemed to have nicely settled down with a 49-run stand, India A captain Priyank Panchal brought back Mukesh for his post-lunch spell with the semi-new ball.
A fullish delivery that cut back enough found O`Donnell plumb in front to leave New Zealand A in trouble at 100 for four in the 36th over.
Wicketkeeper Cam Fletcher (13 off 66 balls) defended doggedly for close to two hours as Kuldeep Yadav (0/44 in 19 overs), in his first competitive red ball game in more than 18 months, didn`t look penetrative enough.
Mukesh, who came back for his third spell, got the old ball to break back in and found Fletcher`s pads after a 49-run stand in just over 22 overs.
Brief Scores: NZ A 1st Innings 156/5 (Joe Carter 73 batting, Mukesh Kumar 3/34, Arzan Nagwaswalla 1/34, Yash Dayal 1/35) vs India A.
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