Published: Feb 18, 2017, 02:46 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 18, 2017, 05:16 PM (IST)
The second session of Day Two in the ongoing tour game between Australia and India A ended with the latter reaching 63 for 2, trailing visitors by 404 runs. After putting in the visitors to bat on Day One, skipper Hardik Pandya and co. lacked fire to take wickets and apply pressure on Steven Smith‘s side. Smith’s camp piled up 467 for 7 decl. to put in India A to bat in the three-day contest. Centuries from Smith, Shaun Marsh and fifties from Mitchell Marsh and Matthew Wade took the visitors to a strong position before they asked India A to bat after lunch. Akhil Herwadkar and Priyank Panchal departed for 4 and 22 respectively to Nathan Lyon as India A’s middle-order will have to play out a crucial last session of the penultimate day. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: India vs Australia 1st Test at Pune
On Day One, Australia were put in to bat and they had a good day with every batsmen getting a look-in. David Warner and Matt Renshaw started the proceedings and departed after brief stays. Nonetheless, Smith and Marsh took center stage and struck a fluent 156 run-stand as Pandya and co. looked perplexed. Reaching to their respective centuries, both Marsh and Smith retired out to give others a chance. Smith made 107 (54 runs coming in boundaries) and Marsh added 104 runs (50 runs coming in boundaries) to the scoreboard.
Wade and Marsh remained unbeaten to see the day off, which belonged to the visitors. Day Two’s morning session went in Australia’s favour as Wade and Marsh reached to their respective fifties and Glenn Maxwell also got some time in the middle. They declared post Marsh’s dismissal at 75. The focus now shifts to Josh Hazlewood, Lyon, Steven O’ Keefe and Jackson Bird who will like to get good amount of overs under their belt before the first Test versus India starts in Pune (February 23).
Brief scores:
Australia 467 for 7 decl. (Steven Smith 107 retd out, Shaun Marsh 104 retd out, Mitchell Marsh 75; Navdeep Saini 2 for 42) lead India A 63 for 2 (Priyank Panchal 22, Shreyas Iyer 11*, Nathan Lyon 2 for 28 ) by 404 runs.
