NZ draw India A as rain has final say

If a sunny day yesterday had infused some life into the match, overnight rains and overcast conditions today compelled umpires AV Jayaprakash and MR Singh to call off play as soon as they entered the Nehru Stadium here this morning. The verdict on the concluding day meant that the match had been abandoned as a draw.

Frustration has been the overbearing feeling over the last three days. While the Kiwis were deprived of getting acclimatised to conditions ahead of a tough Test and one-day series, the ambitions of the Indian hopefuls’ making a mark were reduced to zilch. The sole beneficiary was Delhi medium-pacer Amit Bhandari, who grabbed the opportunity with both hands in the 173 minutes of play that was possible on Friday.

The 21-year-old, unfazedby the conditions or the opposition, dished out a display that may bring about discussions in future meetings of the National selection committee.

While all the India A bowlers got a chance to display their wares in the limited time frame, the batsmen have every reason to feel cheated by destiny. A big score against the tourists would definitely have raised their stocks, but they now have to wait and start afresh for the forthcoming domestic season.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 135-6 in 44 overs (Nathan Astle 29 not out, Amit Bhandari 2-20) vs India A.