India toil as Board President's XI reach 104/3 at lunch

India were made to toil hard on day three of the second practice match, as West Indies Board President's XI defied the bowling to reach 104 for three at lunch here today.
The visitors had finished their first innings on day two at 364, after bowling out the hosts for 180 on the first day.
Shardul Thakur (0-11) and Ravindra Jadeja (1-25) started the day's proceedings, and the Mumbai pacer got some movement immediately.
Thakur was on the mark with his line and length, just as in the first innings and troubled the batsmen. However, unlike day one, he wasn't able to garner any success in the five overs he bowled.

Jadeja, meanwhile, bowled from the end opposite to the one from where he had sent down 13 overs in the first innings and had finished with 3-16. As such, he struggled with the cross wind across the stadium, and was taken for runs by the two batsmen.
Opener John Campbell stepped out and smacked him for two sixes, and thereafter Ravichandran Ashwin (2-38) was re-introduced into the attack.

The left-arm spinner didn't get any rest though, as skipper Virat Kohli deployed him from the same end as in the first innings. And it paid immediate dividends as Jadeja got his man, with Campbell caught at mid-on by KL Rahul.

At the other end, Ashwin continued to trouble the batsmen with his bounce and turn, whilst bowling to an attacking field. But Shai Hope (17) and Jermaine Blackwood (20 batting) defied him for nearly five overs.
In the end, the wicket did come off a brilliant turning ball, with Hope caught by Kohli at leg slip in the 26th over of the innings.
Mohd. Shami (0-17) returned thereafter to bowl a four-over spell, while Amit Mishra (0-11) was deployed as well. But Blackwood, in company of Vishaul Singh (17 batting), managed to bat on for nearly 17 overs and put on 34 runs for the fourth wicket going into the break.

Earlier, on the second day, Jadeja continued his impressive form as he followed up his three-wicket spell in the first innings with a fine half-century.
Besides Jadeja, KL Rahul hit 64 off 127 balls and Kohli made 51 off 94 balls, as the visitors ended their first innings in 105.4 overs.
Jadeja hit a superb 61-ball 56 down the order with the help of eight boundaries.
(REOPENS DEl 77)
The only blemish in Kohli's near flawless innings was a dropped chance by Southee off his own bowling in the 28th over, that too after smacking the pacer for boundaries of consecutive balls.

Dhoni made 21 off 24 balls with a boundary and a six before a complete breakdown in communication with Kohli led to his run out.
But by then the job was almost done and Kohli in Kedar Jadhav's (10 not out) company brought up the winning runs to pile misery on the Kiwis, who are yet to taste a victory in the tour.
Earlier, Pandya (3/31), who was handed over his ODI cap by legendary Kapil Dev, opened the attack along side comeback man Umesh Yadav (2/31) as the duo wreaked havoc in the initial overs to rattle the Black Caps innings.

Besides Pandya and Yadav, leg-spinner Amit Mishra too shone with the ball with figures of 3 for 49.
Opting to bat after winning the toss, India witnessed a dream start as they reduced New Zealand to 43 for four in 10.4 overs.
Debutant Pandya gave India the first breakthrough in the final ball of the second over when he removed out-of-form Martin Guptill (12).
Struggling for runs throughout the tour, Guptill hit Pandya for three boundaries in the same over before the right-arm medium pacer took his revenge, inducing an outside edge as the batsman jabbed at a length delivery and Rohit Sharma did the honours at the second slip.

Much was expected from New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson (3) but he too perished soon, slashing a wide delivery from Umesh straight to Mishra at third man boundary in the 7th over.
It was a gem of a delivery from Umesh, which pitched on good length outside off and moved slightly to get an outside edge and Dhoni did the rest behind the stumps.
Returning to action after change of ends, Pandya dismissed Corey Anderson (4), but the credit for the wicket should go to Umesh, who pulled off a superb catch at mid-off.
An over later, Pandya picked up his third wicket of the day in the form of Luke Ronchi, who flicked one straight to Umesh at mid-on as New Zealand slumped to 49 for five at the end of the 13th over.

Earlier, Smith won a fine toss as their openers Matt
Renshaw and David Warner played with a positive intent and cruised to 50 for no loss in 9.3 overs.
But after spin was introduced at both ends in the 10th over, Ravindra Jadeja (1/49) struck in his first over with David Warner (19) offering a simple return catch to the left-arm spinner.
Renshaw's first 24 runs came only in boundaries as once he cleared a fielder the ball would race past the rope.
Seventh over and Aswhin came in with his bunny' Warner at the opposite end but without any immediate effect.

At the other end, Warner took his time and hit his first boundary after 22 balls with an elegant cover drive off Yadav.
With Warner looking to break free, Kohli employed spin attack at both ends and Jadeja was welcomed by the Aussie vice-captain with another crunching drive.
The next ball, a juicy full-toss and Warner offered Jadeja a return catch for the first breakthrough for India.
In the middle of a fine run, 20-year-old Renshaw looked to complete a third half-century in as many Tests, before falling six runs short.
Yadav produced the breakthrough before lunch in his second spell when Renshaw guided to Kohli at first slip for a soft dismissal.

Ashwin too opened his account after India brilliantly used the DRS to dismiss Shaun Marsh (2) as India struck twice in 2.4 overs before lunch.