Published: Jan 17, 2019, 03:58 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 17, 2019, 03:58 PM (IST)
The only batsman in the Cricket Australia XI‘s top five not to be part of the Australian Test squad for next week’s game against Sri Lanka, Kurtis Patterson, overshadowed his more illustrious team-mates in scoring an unbeaten 157 on day one of the day-night tour match against the tourists in Hobart.
Patterson entered the fray at the fall of Matt Renshaw with the CA XI 25/3 in the 11th over at Blundstone Arena, and was still batting when the declaration came at 316/5 after 75 overs. Also scoring an unbeaten century was Jake Doran, who with Patterson put on 218 for the sixth wicket.
Patterson faced 212 deliveries and hit 12 fours and a six, while the likes of Renshaw, Joe Burns and Marnus Labuschagne made single-digit scores and fellow Test hopeful Will Pucovski managed 23.
The 14-Test batsman Burns, leading the Cricket Australia XI, was the first wicket to fall when he edged Kasun Rajitha to third slip for 4 from 13 deliveries. Next to go was Labuschagne, who batted at No 3 against India in the recent Sydney Test, when he inside-edged a back-foot punch off Dushmantha Chameera for 6 off 13 balls. (ALSO READ: Australian Test aspirants depart early on day one)
Renshaw, who played the last of his 11 Test matches in April during the controversial tour of South Africa, also fell to Chameera when he nicked off to Dimuth Karunaratne at first slip. He made 7 from 35 balls. Jason Sangha, the teenaged New South Wales batting star, also failed to make an impact as he was dismissed for 3 not long after Pucokvsi – last week handed a maiden Test call – was removed. (ALSO READ: Burns plays down competition with Queensland teammate Renshaw)
The Tasmania wicketkeeper-batsman Doran was 102 not out from 129 balls, with 12 fours.
For Sri Lanka, fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera finished with 3/57 from 16 overs and Kasun Rajitha was the other wicket-taker with 2/71 off 71.
