Published: Aug 10, 2015, 10:55 AM (IST)
Edited: Aug 10, 2015, 10:55 AM (IST)
Mayank Agarwal, India A opener, capitalised on the momentum of his match-winning century against South Africa A on Sunday to stroke a flowing half-century against Australia A in Chennai. As in the previous knock, Agarwal punished both full and short balls with authority, driving with ease and pulling and hooking with authority. He struck seven fours and a six in his knock of 61, the six a pull shot off seamer Gurinder Sandhu’s third over, which was punished for 15 runs. He got out to left-arm spinner Ashton Agar off a quality delivery that pitched on leg stump and turned to clip the top of off stump, in the 19th over, Agar’s first. UPDATES: India A vs Australia A, 4th match, Triangular Series, Chennai
Agarwal struck useful stands of 26 with fellow opener Unmukt Chand, who scored 5, and of 60 with Karun Nair. Agarwal and Nair had been looking good to be taking India A to a decent first-innings total as they were looking good enough to last the majority of the remaining overs, but Agar came on and undid Agarwal to beak the stand.
Kedar Jadhav, the next man in, lobbed gently a full toss on leg stump the first ball he faced, to short midwicket, and departed for a first-ball duck. Nair and Sanju Samson, the India A wicketkeeper, have been steady since then till the 25th over, when Agar removed Nair lbw.
This is India A’s second game in two days, as South Africa A, who were supposed to play Australia A today, suffer with having ten of their squad members visiting the hospital due to heat and food poising related problems. They had lost to India A on Sunday by eight wickets, and the paucity of fit fielders prompted India A 12th man Mandeep Singh taking the field to help them out.
