New Zealand Academy take command

New Zealand Academy had the better of the exchanges on the opening day of their Buchi Babu pre-quarterfinal against Tamil Nadu Districts at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai today. After inserting the Districts side and rolling them over for 159 inside 78 overs, the NZA side had progressed to 34/1 at stumps.

Left arm spinner Bruce Martin and leg spinner Aaron Redmond did most of the damage with three wickets apiece. For Districts the first wicket association of 40 between KN Riaz (24) and V Gautham (28) remained the most productive and after NZA captain, Jacob Oram dismissed the former in the 17th over of the innings, the last nine wickets tumbled for 119. P Muthupandian was the top scorer with 30 (66 balls, 1 four).

For the visitors, their only international bowler Andrew Penn, was also the only one of six bowlers used who went wicketless. Seamer Devendra Kumar despatched opener JAH Marshall for seven in the seventh over of NZA's reply but Michael Papps (13) and Jarrod Englefield (12) ferried the visitors safely through to stumps.