India A vs West Indies A: Bhargav Bhatt keeps West Indies down to 283/6

Zaheer Khan’s figures read 16-5-44-1 at the end of day 1

The spinners Bhargav Bhatt and Parvez Rasool ensured that India A had a slight advantage by restricting West Indies A to 283/6 after day one of the second unofficial Test match at the Jawaharlal Nehru National College of Engineering Ground, Shimoga.

Batting first, West Indies A got off to a steady start scoring 55 runs in the first 24 overs. The introduction of Bhatt did the trick as the left-arm spinner picked up the wickets of Kieran Powell (33) and Kirk Edwards (18).

Zaheer Khan, who had a quiet opening spell on his comeback to competitive cricket after a lengthy injury lay-off, accounted for Narsingh Deonarine to leave them in a spot of bother with the score at 98 for 3.

Opener Kraigg Brathwaite and Assad Fudadin made sure that no further inroads were made into the visitors’ batting line up by putting together a 117-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Bhatt finally broke the stand by sending back Fudadin for a 107-ball 63 while Parvez Rasool got the better of Brathwaite (82).

Leon Johnson and Chadwick Walton stalled the fall of wickets with a 68-run partnership before the latter was dismissed by Mohammed Shami late into the day as West Indies ended the day on 283/6.