Ace bowler Mohammed Siraj returned figures of 4/118 on Day 3 of the second unofficial Test between India A and New Zealand A at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, helping dismiss the Kiwis for 424 in their first innings. Mukesh Kumar was the standout bowler with 5/87, while Washington Sundar claimed the remaining wicket to wrap up the New Zealand A innings.
Siraj’s four dismissals were spread across the innings. He removed Rhys Mariu early on, with Mariu contributing just 4 runs and New Zealand A placed at 13/3 at that stage. The Kiwis then rebuilt through a substantial partnership between Matthew Boyle and Dean Foxcroft, which added more than 200 runs and proved the most damaging stand of the innings. Siraj broke that partnership when he dismissed Foxcroft, who had made 93, with the second new ball.
On the very first delivery of Day 3, Siraj sent back Boyle, who top-scored with 110. However, the tenth-wicket stand extended proceedings further before Siraj dismissed Brett Randell shortly after the lunch break to complete his four-wicket haul. Siraj bowled 35 overs across the innings, underlining the workload he carried through the three days at Hagley Oval.
India A, who conceded a first-innings lead of 78 runs, were 32/0 in their second innings at stumps on Day 3, still trailing by 46 runs.
How did Siraj’s performance fit into India A’s overall bowling effort?
Siraj and Mukesh between them accounted for nine of the ten wickets in the New Zealand A first innings, with Sundar taking the tenth. The Boyle-Foxcroft partnership of more than 200 runs was the partnership that most hurt India A, and it was Siraj who eventually ended it. His 4/118 from 35 overs reflected the sustained effort required on a surface that offered the New Zealand A batters enough to build a total of 424. The four-wicket return was his 23rd such haul in First-Class cricket, achieved in his 97th First-Class match.
What does this four-fer add to Siraj’s first-class and Test record?
Siraj has now taken 329 wickets in First-Class cricket at an average of around 27, a tally that includes 10 five-wicket hauls. His 23rd four-wicket haul at Christchurch adds to a record built steadily as he nears triple-digit outings in red-ball cricket. In Tests, Siraj has claimed 144 wickets from 48 matches at an average of 29.63, a return that features five five-wicket hauls and eight four-wicket hauls for India.
