Pujara's 50 fails to give India ‘A’ lead over West Indies ‘A’

Kingstown (St Vincent): India A skipper Cheteshwar Pujara's 50 and defiant tail could not prevent West Indies A from taking a slender 15-run first-innings lead on the second day of the second cricket 'Test' here.

West Indies captain Veerasammy Permaul picked up five wickets for 58 runs as none of India's top-order batsmen barring Pujara could counter his left-arm spin and were all out for 202, responding to the hosts' 217 here at Arnos Vale Sunday, reports Caribbean Media Corporation.

At close, the West Indians were six without loss in their second innings, a lead of 21 runs.

India had a wretched start, plunging to 12 for two before captain Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane stitched up the innings with a 74-run, third wicket stand.

The right-handed Pujara stroked 67, facing 156 balls in 170 minutes, hitting six fours and a six while Ajinkya Rahane, also a right-hander, got 18.

Pujara, as he did in the first match in Barbados last week, played superbly and brought up his half-century with a six over long-on off leg-spinner Bishoo.

Permaul then struck twice to bring West Indies A back into the game. He had Rahane taken at slip by Delorn Johnson to claim his first wicket (86 for three) and with two runs added, induced Rohit Sharma to offer a return catch.

Pujara and Manoj Tiwary then put on 27 for the fifth wicket before both fell in quick succession.

Once again, it was Permaul who was at the forefront, having Pujara caught behind attempting to pull one that bounced.

Tiwary followed soon afterward, playing across a full length delivery from left-arm seamer Johnson (2-28).

Struggling at 123 for six, India were then boosted by two successive partnerships as Wriddhiman Saha (20) and Rahul Sharma (30) added 38 for the seventh wicket before Sharma and Shami Ahmed (20) put on a further 32 for the eighth wicket.

India wasted little time at the start of the day in wrapping up the West Indies innings as the hosts added just five to their overnight 212 for eight before being dismissed.

Test opener Kraigg Brathwaite,unbeaten on 66, was bowled by seamer Shami Ahmed (4-48) without adding and Devendra Bishoo followed soon afterward, lbw for two.

Brief scores:

West Indies A 217 (Kraigg Brathwaite 66,Veerasammy Permaul 36; Shami Ahmed 4-45, Ashok Dinda 2-25, Rohit Sharma 2-31) and six without loss.

India A 202 (Cheteshwar Pujara 65, Manoj Tiwary 23, Rahul Sharma22, Wriddhiman Saha 20; Veerasammy Permaul 5-58, Delorn Johnson 2-28). (IANS)