Mackay, Nov 1 Pacer Mukesh Kumar shined with a six-wicket haul, while B Sai Sudarshan and Devdutt Padikkal hit unbeaten fifties each as India A ended day two’s play with a 120-run lead, and their score reading 208/2.
Mukesh’s 6/46 along with Prasidh Krishna’s three-wicket haul helped India A bowl out Australia A for 195, though the hosts’ took a vital 88-run lead. India A, who were dismissed for 107 in first innings, lost skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (5) and Abhimanyu Easwaran (12) cheaply and were reeling 30/2 in 8.5 overs.
But the duo of Sai Sudharsan and Padikkal, who were the only batters to enter double digits in the first innings, steadied the ship for India A through an unbroken 178-run stand for the third wicket in the visitors second innings. The duo were also helped by the pitch flattening out and some wayward bowling coming their way from Australia ‘A’.
While Sudharsan hit nine exquisite boundaries in his 185-ball 96, Padikkal was unbeaten on 80 off 167 balls, and slamming five fours. Previously resuming from 99/4 on day two, Australia A captain Nathan McSweeney (39) and Cooper Connolly (37) added 51 runs for the fifth wicket.
But Mukesh, a traveling reserve for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, broke the partnership by getting the latter and Josh Phillippe out in quick succession, followed by McSweeney nicking to gully off Nitish Kumar Reddy. Todd Murphy frustrated India A with a fine 33, before becoming Mukesh’s sixth victim.
Brief Scores: India A 107 and 208/2 (B Sai Sudharsan 96 not out, Devdutt Padikkal 80 not out; Fergus O'Neill 1-33) lead Australia A 195 (Nathan McSweeney 39, Cooper Connolly 37, Mukesh Kumar 6-46, Prasidh Krishna 3-59) by 120 runs
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