Vasudevan Jagadeesh (40) and Manprit Juneja (43) put on an unbeaten 78-run partnership to help India ‘A’ end Day 2 in the second and final unofficial 'Test' against New Zealand ‘A’ on 94 for 2 at the Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy stadium in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.
The home side trail the Kiwis by 343 runs, with eight wickets remaining in the first innings.
Earlier on Tuesday, New the tourists, after resuming their first innings at 300 for eight, added another 137 runs before being dismissed for 437 in 121.1 overs.
The Indian bowlers failed to make inroads even as Bracewell and Sodhi went about their business easily.
After 31.3 overs, Abhishek Nayar finally effected the breakthrough when he cleaned up Bracewell with the batsmen just four runs short of a century.
Bracewell had 11 fours and a six in his 132-ball innings.
Pacer Dhawal Kulkarni then dismissed Sodhi with the first delivery of the next over to end New Zealand’s innings.
Sodhi played a very patient 142-ball 57m which included just three boundaries.
With the New Zealanders piling up a massive score, a lot was expected from Unmukt Chand, who had captained India Under-19 to victory in the 2012 World Cup. But the opener scored just four runs before he was sent packing by Mark Gillespie in the fifth over of the Indian innings.
Last match centurion Vijay Zol too could not continue his good form and was dismissed by Bracewell in the 13th over, with India ‘A’ reeling at 16 for two.
Jagadeesh and Juneja then steadied the ship with an unbeaten 78-run partnership. The duo showed maturity as they handled the Kiwi bowlers deftly.
Brief score:
New Zealand ‘A’ (1st innings): 437 (Anton Devcich 115, Corey Anderson 100, D Bracewell 96, I Sodhi 57; D Kulkarni 3-53).
India 'A': 94/2 (Vasudevan Jagadeesh 40 not out, Manprit Juneja 43 not out; Mark Gillespie 1-11).
Image: Doug Bracewell
Photograph: Andhra Cricket Association