Galle, June 27 (IANS) Pacer Auqib Nabi Dar spearheaded India A’s bowling charge with a four-wicket haul as the visitors secured a commanding 122-run first-innings advantage against Sri Lanka A on day three of the first four-day game here on Saturday.

Despite fifties from Nuwanidu Fernando (84), captain Sahan Arachchige (72), and Ashen Bandara (70), Sri Lanka A eventually made 330 in response to India A’s mammoth first-innings total of 452/6 declared. By the time stumps arrived, India A extended their overall lead to 170 runs, reaching 48 for no loss in their second essay.

Sai Sudharsan, who smashed a century in the first innings as an opener, had a minor setback and retired hurt on seven. However, Devdutt Padikkal (20 not out) and Ayush Pandey (20 not out) negotiated the remaining overs flawlessly to keep the visitors in absolute control.

Resuming the day from an overnight score of 113/2, Sri Lanka A enjoyed a productive morning session. Nuwanidu and Bandara frustrated the Indian bowling attack with a 105-run partnership for the third wicket. Nuwanidu looked well-poised for a century before seamer Yash Thakur dismissed him 16 runs short of the three-figure mark.

Skipper Arachchige then joined Bandara to further steady the ship. Arachchige took an aggressive approach against the Indian spinners, dispatching Saransh Jain over the ropes to take the hosts to a comfortable 204 for 3 at the lunch break. The afternoon session witnessed a brief weather interruption, but the hosts’ batters maintained their composure.

Arachchige brought up his half-century in style with a brace of sixes off Harsh Dubey, while a boundary from Bandara off Thakur brought up their 117-run alliance. India A eventually fought back through their spinners. Off-spinner Jain broke the threatening partnership by removing Bandara, with Padikkal taking a sharp catch.

Left-arm spinner Dubey soon sent back the dangerous Arachchige, courtesy another catch by Padikkal. A brief counter-attack by Ravindu Fernando and Anjala Bandara momentarily pushed the hosts past the 300-run mark. However, Nabi broke the lower-order resistance by striking in consecutive overs just before the tea interval, leaving Sri Lanka A reeling at 315/7.

Post-tea, Dubey quickly removed Kavindu Pathiratne. Although Chamika Gunasekara and Dilum Sudeera delayed the inevitable by lingering for nearly ten overs, Nabi took out the former and Dulaj Samudhita on back-to-back deliveries to finish with impressive figures of 4-58, which augurs well ahead of India’s two-game Test tour of Sri Lanka in August.

Brief scores:

India A 452/6 declared and 48/0 in 17 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 20 not out, Ayush Pandey 20 not out) lead Sri Lanka A 330 all out in 101.4 overs (Nuwanidu Fernando 84, Sahan Arachchige 72; Auqib Nabi Dar 4-58) by 170 runs.

–IANS

nr/bsk/