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Visakhapatnam: Lusty hitting by India A's lower middle order enabled them to complete a clean sweep of the ODI series against New Zealand A, as they defeated the visitors by two wickets in a last-over thriller at ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium here, on Thursday.
India opted to field and were set a challenging target of 291, thanks to half-centuries by opener Anton Devcich (66), Corey Anderson (59) and Tom Latham (53).
India's early response was far from flattering. They plummeted to 79/4 as skipper Unmukt Chand (11), Robin Uthappa (46), Sanju Samson (5) and Sachin Baby (16) departed within the first 20 overs.
Then began a revival of sorts, with Ashok Menaria (69) and Kedhar Jadhav (57) adding 128 in 17.5 overs. Rajasthan's 22-year-old Menaria was particularly effective as he thrashed eight sixes and two fours in his 50-ball knock. Menaria also took ten wickets in the three-match series.
Jadhav was rather more watchful, but India, after being brought back into contention, suffered a double whammy when both set batsmen were out on the same score – Jadhav horribly run-out, Menaria perishing to a top edge.
India needed 84 in just under 13 overs, four wickets remaining, when lanky Punjab batsman Mandeep Singh shoved his team over the line with a timely cameo.
Mandeep smashed 37 off just 27 deliveries, including three boundaries and a six, and ensured victory through vital partnerships with the tailenders, Jalaj Saxena (19) and Rahul Sharma (20).
India won with four balls to spare, thus completing a 3-0 rout of New Zealand
Brief scores
New Zealand A 290 for 9 (Devcich 66, Anderson, Latham 53)
India A 291 for 8 (Menaria 69, Jadhav 57, Gillespie 3-43)
Result India A won by 2 wickets
