Ashok causes 8216;A8217; shock

Chasing a stiff 291-run target,the Indians suffered a top-order collapse before all-rounder Menaria scored a quickfire 69 off 52 balls that included two fours and eight sixes. He was involved in a brilliant 128-run fifth wicket stand off just 107 balls with Jadhav 57,which denied the Black Caps a consolation win.

A late counter-attack by Mandeep then made sure that the hosts won the match comfortably at the venue in Visakhapatnam.

Having sealed the three-match ODI series already,India tested their bench strength in this inconsequential match by giving a chance to spinner Jalaj Saxena and batsman Sanju Samson.

Earlier,opener Anton Devcich top-scored for New Zealand A with a 85-ball 66,studded with eight boundaries,while Corey J Anderson 59 and skipper Tom Latham 53 also hit half centuries each to contribute to the teams total after India A asked them to bat.

The Indians were sloppy on the field throughout as they dropped two catches,including that of Andersons,to allow the New Zealand post a huge total of 290 for nine. Basant Mohanty 2/39,Menaria 2/45 and Jalaj Saxena 2/60 picked up two wickets each for India A.

In reply,India lost four wickets for just 79 runs on the board in 19.2 overs,despite opener Robin Uthappa scoring a fine 50-ball 46 with the help of six fours and a six.

Skipper Chand,who led by example in the series,scoring 94 and 59 in the first two ODIs,failed in this game,getting out for just 11. Menaria walked into the middle after Uthappa and Sachin Baby 16 were dismissed in successive overs.

The left-handed batsman fired from the word go and accelerated the run-rate by hitting three sixes off Todd Astles first over before punishing him again for two consecutive maximums one over long on and another over long off in his very next over.

On Fire

From 79 for four in 19.2 overs,Menaria,in the able company of Jadhav,helped his team score 100 more runs in the next 12 overs. Firing on all cylinders,Menaria hit a four off Devcich to bring up his half-century in just 26 balls with the help of two fours and six sixes.

Jadhav,meanwhile,got a life when he was dropped on 30 off Ish Sodhis over. He capitalised on the advantage to hit a solid 57 off 61 balls with five fours and a couple of sixes.

But just when it seemed as if India A would canter to the finish line,the hosts suddenly lost two wickets in one over with Jadhav getting run out and Scott Kuggeleijn picking the prized wicket of Menaria off the fourth ball of the over with the scorecard reading 207 for six,still needing 84 runs for victory.

Mandeep then played with a lot of responsibility and was well-supported by Jalaj Saxena 19 and Rahul Sharma 20. He shared a solid 35-run stand with Saxena for the seventh wicket,before putting on another valuable 47-run partnership with Rahul for the eighth wicket.

Mark Gillespie was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand A with figures of three for 43.

Brief scores: New Zealand A 290/9 in 50 overs A Devcich 66,CJ Anderson 59,T Latham 53; B Mohanty 2/39,A Menaria 2/45,J Saxena 2/60 lost to India A 291/8 in 49.2 overs A Menaria 69,K Jadhav 57,R Uthappa 46; M Gillespie 3/43