Chopra, Yuvraj serve Test notice to selection panel

Play was called off after 9.5 mandatory overs, soon after Chopra completed his hundred, disdainfully despatching Kiwi spinner Paul Wiseman to the midwicket fence.

Chopra and Yuvraj Singh stitched together an unbroken 166-run partnership to send clear signals to the national selectors ahead of the Ahmedabad Test beginning on October 8.

After the disappointment of the first two days, when heavy rains allowed only 46 minutes of cricket, things looked up with sun breaking through the clouds on the final day.

When play resumed today, overnight not out batsman and Board President’s XI skipper Virender Sehwag did not come out to bat due to indisposition. Instead, Shiv Sunder Das, another contender for the opener’s slot walked in.

The diminutive batsman from Orissa, however, failed to make use of the opportunity and made an early exit after scoring only 16 runs.

New Zealanders now travel to Rajkot where the visitors would play their second and last warm-up game against India ‘A’ before the start of the first Test.

Scoreboard

Board President’s XI (1st Innings): Aakash Chopra not out 103; Virender Sehwag rtd 9; Shiv Sundar Das c Hart b Butler 16; Yuvraj Singh not out 80; Extras (nb-16, w-1, lb-2): 19
Total (for 1 wkt): 227
Fall of wicket: 1-61
Bowling: Butler 18-6-32-1, Mason 12-4-24-0, Styris 5-3-2-0, Vettori 26-4-85-0 Wiseman 23.5-4-82-0.