Task cut out for India A as Australia A eye victory

India A’s first-innings batting collapse came back to haunt them as Australia A nosed ahead of the visitors after being set a target of 225 on the third day of their first four-day game. The home team was 139/3 at stumps, needing another 86 runs for victory as the Indian bowlers could not get enough wickets to put pressure on the Australians in their second essay. Skipper Nathan McSweeney and Beau Webster were batting on 47 and 19, respectively, at the close of play.

McSweeney, one of the top contenders to bag the vacant opener’s slot in the Australian team for the marquee Test series against India, forged an unbroken partnership of 54 runs for the fourth wicket along with Webster after Australia A slipped to 85/3.

India were all out for 312 in their second innings, a far better batting display than their forgettable outing on the first day, when they crumbled for 107. Resuming the day on 96, Sai Sudharsan (103) duly completed his century but Devdutt Padikkal fell for 88, adding only eight runs to his overnight total of 80 after having stitched a partnership of 196 runs for the third wicket with the former.

Brief scores: India A: 107 & 312 (Sudharsan 103, Padikkal 88; O’Neill 4/55, Murphy 3/77); Australia A: 195 & 139/3 (McSweeney 47*, Harris 36).