RAJKOT (India), Oct 2: Mark Richardson salvaged New Zealand’s batting pride ahead of a Test series against India when he scored a solid 128 not out in a warm-up match here on Thursday.

The left-handed opener kept his cool under pressure as the tourists recovered from 91-4 to reach 299-5 at stumps after electing to bat on the opening day of the three-day game against an India-A team.

Richardson put on 89 for the fifth wicket with Craig McMillan (30) and 119 for the next with Jacob Oram (59 not out) after young fast bowler Munaf Patel had rocked the tourists with three wickets in his maiden first-class match.

The New Zealand opener hit one six and 17 fours in a solid 309-ball knock for his 18th century in first-class cricket.

All-rounder Oram has so far struck two sixes in his entertaining unbeaten 83-ball innings.

Skipper Stephen Fleming (27), Lou Vincent (11), Scott Styris (8) and Nathan Astle (nought) all failed to make the most of the last tour game before back-to-back Tests at Ahmedabad (Oct 8-12) and Mohali (Oct 16-20).

New Zealand’s Test preparations suffered a jolt when Fleming, Styris and Astle fell to Patel in the space of 13 runs in the afternoon session.

Fleming looked in good nick and played an attractive cameo. He smashed one six and four boundaries, but his dismissal triggered a mini-collapse.

The New Zealand captain hit Patel for three fours in an over, but bottom-edged a delivery onto his stumps in the bowler’s next over.

Styris also went for shots as he lofted left-arm spinner Murali Kartik for a six before being caught down the leg-side by diving wicket-keeper Deep Dasgupta off Patel.

The 20-year-old paceman was on a hat trick when he trapped Astle leg-before off his next delivery, but McMillan survived and went on to provide valuable support to Richardson.

Vincent was the first to go, bowled round his legs while attempting to sweep Kartik.

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