India A took a firm grip of the third unofficial Test against the West Indies A after reducing the visitors to 199 for five even though Narasingh Deonaraine put up stiff resistance with an unbeaten knock of 83 at lunch on the fourth and final day here today.
Put into bat, West Indies A had made 268 all out in first innings and India A had replied with 564 for nine with a substantial lead of 296 runs over the visitors.
Deonaraine followed up his first innings 35 with another gutsy effort as he added 82-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Assad Fudadin (49) to prevent India A from wrapping up the match before lunch.
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Deonaraine has faced 148 balls and cracked 12 boundaries in his innings.
The duo had been consistently frustrating the India A attack with gutsy and resilient knocks and captain Cheteshwar Pujara got results after introducing first innings leading wicket-taker Abhishek Nayar into the attack.
Nayar soon produced the much-required breakthrough by sending back the indomitable Fudadin for 49, which he made after facing 101 balls with five hits to the fence.
The Mumbai all-rounder did not have to wait long as he celebrated his second wicket by cleaning up promising batsman Jonathan Carter for 12 off 17 balls.
When the umpires called for lunch, Nikita Miller (7) was giving company to Deonaraine and the duo had put on 34 runs partnership for the sixth wicket.
