Mumbai, Sep 21: The second one-day match between India A and New Zealand A ended in a tie as the former scored 240 for nine while chasing a revised 241-run target. India A lead the three-match series 1-0, and will be looking to clinch it during the last game on September 23.

Chasing a competitive total, Abhinav Mukund and Unmukt Chand gave India an opening stand of 52 runs. Bowled by Andrew Mckay, Chand (23) was the first to return to the dressing room in the 15th over. Mukund then found an able partner in wicketkeeper Naman Ojha and the duo added 99 runs. The partnership ended when Mukund was run-out for 66. Tarun Nethula then sent back Mandeep Singh, and six runs later, New Zealand skipper Andrew Ellis castled Ojha for 62 to give New Zealand an important breakthrough. Neil Wagner then followed up with the wicket of Ashok Menaria to leave India at 181 for five wickets. With the departure of Menaria, Suryakumar Yadav came out to join Ambati Rayudu at the crease. But, Yadav’s stay in the middle was ended soon by McKay; he scored eight runs.

With the match set for a thrilling finish, weather played spoilsport and halted play. When the game resumed, the match was reduced by two overs and India’s target was revised to 241 in 48 overs.

However, Ambati Rayudu continued to put up a valiant fight with the tailenders. But he immediately lost Rahul Sharma (2), who handed a return catch to McKay to return to the dressing room. McKay continued to trouble the Indian batsmen and struck again in the 47th over, his last, and added Vinay Kumar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar to his list of scalps; he finished with a five-for. With India needing four runs off seven balls, Jaydev Unadkat joined Rayudu in the middle to help take India across the finish line. But India A’s chase ended in a tie as they managed to score only three more runs.

Earlier, New Zealand A posted 249 runs for the fall of nine wickets, after opting to bat first at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln. Unadkat claimed Hamish Rutherford (6) in the fourth over to give India an early breakthrough. After the opener departing cheaply with just seven runs on the board, Daniel Flynn also soon followed him back to the pavilion. At two for 20, Neil Broom joined George Worker at the crease and the duo added 149 runs for the third wicket, until Worker was run-out for 61. Couple of overs later, Rahul Sharma dismissed Broom for 82, and Suryakumar Yadav followed up with the wicket of Colin de Grandhomme. NZ A failed to capitalize on the platform set by the partnership between Worker and Broom as they lost wickets at regular intervals. Unadkat then struck once gain to dismiss Derek de Boorder for 25, while Wagner departed after hitting the ball back to Vinay Kumar. Unadkat then picked Nethula (0) and skipper Ellis (20) to finish with a four-for.

Brief scores: New Zealand A 249/9 in 50 overs (N Broom 82, G Worker 61, J Unadkat 4/47); India A 240/9 in 48 overs (Abhinav Mukund 66, N Ojha 62, A Rayudu 46*, A Mckay 5/50) scores tied