Anderson, Devcich tons prop up NZ A

New Zealand A 300 for 8 (Devcich 115, Anderson 100) v India A
Scorecard

Centuries from Corey Anderson and Anton Devcich resurrected a New Zealand A innings that was failing at 43 for 4 to set up a competitive total in the second unofficial Test against India A in Visakhapatnam.

Right-arm seamers Dhawal Kulkarni and Imtiaz Ahmed forced New Zealand to doubt their choice to bat first as the former dismissed Neil Broom in the second over. Carl Cachopa became Kulkarni's second wicket and Luke Ronchi, fresh off a century from the first match, fell for a duck to Imtiaz in the space of eight balls. Tom Latham, the only top-order batsman to reach double figures, was trapped leg before by Shrikant Wagh to leave New Zealand in a precarious position.

They recovered when Corey Anderson, the 22-year old allrounder who was awarded with a national contract in July, and Anton Devcich put on 165 runs for the fifth wicket. Devcich, 27, made his first-class debut in 2005 and averages a modest 23.05 with three fifties. He played his last first-class game for Northern Districts in December 2012 but in January this year, he struck an unbeaten 92 in the HRV Cup and with Brad Wilson set up the highest stand for any wicket that season.

While the batsmen ahead of them barely attempted to hike the pace, Anderson's ton came at a strike-rate of nearly 80 - an increase of 40 from Latham, with 16 fours and two sixes. Devcich wasn't too far behind as he struck 15 fours to record his maiden first-class century.

Offspinner Jalaj Saxena, coming off a six-wicket haul in the first match, retrieved some momentum late in the day, as he accounted for Todd Astle who had added 52 with Devcich for the seventh wicket, before dismissing the latter for 115.