Mackay, Nov 2 (IANS): Australia A are on the verge of victory over India A in the first unofficial Test, thanks to captain Nathan McSweeney’s solid batting performance on Day three at the Great Barrier Reef Arena.
India A collapsed after B Sai Sudharsan hit his seventh first-class cricket century, leaving Australia A with a target of 225 runs. Australia reached 139/3 at the end of day three’s play and will need 86 more runs to secure victory on day four.
Left-handed batter Sudharsan’s remarkable performance was the highlight of India A’s innings. The young batter displayed resilience and skill to notch a fine hundred, giving India A a fighting chance for a win.
But he lacked support from the rest of the lineup, which saw an all-too-familiar collapse. Ishan Kishan’s 32 off 58 balls was the only standout performance in the lower order after Sudharsan left at 103, as India A made of 312.
The dismissals of Kishan and Nitish Kumar Reddy (17) marked a turning point, as India A struggled to build momentum, with the final wickets falling in quick succession. Australia A’s bowlers shone on day three, with Fergus O’Neill claiming four crucial wickets and Todd Murphy taking three scalps.
Australia A began their chase strongly, with Marcus Harris scoring 36. Sam Konstas (16) was the first wicket to fall after Mukesh Kumar sent his off-stump flying. Cameron Bancroft’s partnership with Harris was a brief one due to a catch by Sudharsan off Prasidh Krishna’s delivery.
Harris’s innings came to an abrupt end as he edged a delivery from left-arm spinner Manav Suthar to wicketkeeper Kishan, adding to Australia A’s opening conundrum before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Captain McSweeney and Beau Webster stabilised the innings as the day drew to a close, with the duo showcasing calm and calculated play against the Indian attack. McSweeney is unbeaten on 47 off 98 balls with five boundaries, while Webster ended the day on 19 not out.
Brief scores: India A 107 and 312 (B Sai Sudharsan 103 not out, Devdutt Padikkal 88; Fergus O’Neill 4-55, Tod Murphy 3-77) lead Australia A 195 & 139/3 in 50.3 overs (Nathan McSweeney 47, Marcus Harris 36; Prasidh Krishna 1-17, Mukesh Kumar 1-39) by 86 runs.