New Zealand's Academy team continues to make a big impression in their matches against the Australian Academy side in Adelaide.

Having won the first two-day game on the first innings, the side was in a strong position on the second day of the second game when starting today.

The New Zealand Academy batted first and scored 399 off 78.5 overs.

Two fine top order partnerships allowed the side to recover from the loss of Jamie How when the score was only 11.

Reece Young and Nick Horsley added 110 runs in 90 minutes off 140 balls with their partnership ending only two minutes before lunch. Young having played shorter pitched bowling with power and precision was caught at short cover from the left-arm bowling of Xavier Doherty for 46.

After lunch Horsley and Shanan Stewart put the Australian bowlers through the grinder. Horsley had great reward for a positive innings and scored his century off 132 balls with 15 fours and a six.

Stewart chimed in also with some fine attacking play. They added 150 runs when Horsley was run out for 123 scored in 190 minutes off 158 balls and his innings included 18 fours and a six.

Two wickets fell just before the tea break. Greg Todd hit a six off Tim Welsford and was out straight afterwards, caught at cover, and was followed immediately by Stewart, who was caught at long on, having hit 95 off 91 balls, including five huge sixes. At tea, New Zealand was 306/5.

New Zealand attempted to hit out in the final session with a score of 400 as their aim but the loss of four wickets for six runs saw them fall one run short.

Doherty took four for 107 from 19 overs while Beau Casson had three for 69 from 17.5.

Australia then lost opening batsman Duncan Betts for a duck when the score was 12. However Scott Meuleman and Shaun Marsh, both of whom have played first-class cricket for Western Australia, saw the side to 38/1 at stumps.

On Tuesday, New Zealand managed a first innings win over the Australians. Chasing Australia's 320, New Zealand were in trouble at 47/4. However, Jonathan McNamee and Brendon McCullum added 99 runs for the fifth wicket.

McCullum was out for 56, caught at square leg from left-arm wrist spinner Beau Casson for 56.

Luke Woodcock joined McNamee and they took New Zealand to tea in the encouraging position of 232/5. McNamee built on the 78 he had scored before the break and recorded an elegant century which featured some deft placement mixed with strong drives and a fine demonstration of patience.

When he was out for 123, scored off 200 balls in 279 minutes of batting which included 16 fours and three sixes, he had shared 154 runs with Woodcock.

Coach Dayle Hadlee said: "Luke Woodcock was typically tenacious, showing defiance in the face of the taunts from the opposition. He demonstrated patience but was selective as he hit the loose ball firmly."

Woodcock followed two runs after McNamee but Nathan McCullum hit three quick boundaries to give New Zealand the first innings lead.

Geeves was the most successful of the Australians with three for 41 from 21 overs while Casson had two for 99 from 23 overs and Welsford two for 18 from eight.

© CricInfo