'A' clash set for thrilling finish

The first-class clash between Australia A and India A at Allan Border Field in Brisbane looks poised for a thrilling finish, with the hosts requiring another 100 to win with six wickets in hand after rain ended play at the tea interval on day three.

The Australians are 4-59 in pursuit of 159 for victory, with Cameron Bancroft (16) and Beau Webster (6) the not out batsmen after India A quick Shardul Thakur took two in two balls during a fiery spell that summed up this eventful and occasionally ill-tempered contest.

Joe Burns (11) was bowled by Thakur with the score at 17 and Travis Dean went very next ball, wafting a cut shot straight to backward point to leave the Indian on a hat-trick. 

Thakur had to wait an over for his attempt at a personal milestone but it was safely negotiated by Peter Handscomb, the Australia A captain then mixing finesse with fortune on his way to a rapid 24 from 18 balls. 

But when Handscomb was undone by Hardik Pandya, and his Victoria teammate Marcus Stoinis went for a duck a short time later, the match was suddenly in the balance.

Earlier, India A collapsed spectacularly after resuming at 2-44, the tourists losing their last eight wickets for 112 as the Australia A pacemen found the cloudy skies and early start to their liking during an extended morning session.

New-ball pair Daniel Worrall (3-43) and David Moody (3-64) did the bulk of the damage in conjunction with Redbacks seamer Chadd Sayers (3-21), who maintained typically immaculate areas to complement that pair beautifully.

The first breakthrough of the day was perhaps the most telling, as danger-man Manish Pandey again looked keen to get a move on but came unstuck when he lashed at Worrall and a diving Dean held a brilliant catch at third slip.

Handsomb was also excellent in the cordon, taking two quality catches of his own as his quicks continued to probe on a good length around off-stump, and the Indians continued edging the pink ball.

Shreyas Iyer looked in good touch during his quick-fire 26 off 24, but much like on day one, a willingness to dig in for the long haul – ironically the sort of approach their coach Rahul Dravid built his legendary career on – was sorely lacking for the visitors.

Local leg-spinner Mitch Swepson added another wicket to his four in the first innings, and the situation could have been much worse for the tourists had Jayant Yadav not contributed a plucky 46 from No.8, but he was ultimately the final wicket to fall, edging Sayers behind to give Sam Whiteman a third catch and leaving the Australians in a very good position to claim a 1-0 lead in this two-match series. 

Day two report 

The four-day clash between Australia A and India A is delicately poised at stumps on day two, with the visitors 2-44 in their second innings.

Peter Handscomb (87) and Joe Burns (78) both hit their straps on an absorbing day but neither batsman was able to post the big hundred that could have taken this match away from the Indians, the visiting attack fighting back valiantly to bowl Australia A out for 228, earning their side a two-run first-innings lead.

At stumps, which came 45 minutes early due to bad light, Manish Pandey (7) and Shreyas Iyer (6) were the not out batsmen, after David Moody and Daniel Worrall each took a wicket in their opening spell. 

The day's best work however, had been done by the Indian bowlers.

Speedster Varun Aaron (3-41) and spinner Jayant Yadav (3-44) shared the honours, while confrontational pace duo Hardik Pandya (2-33) and Shardul Thakur (1-45) each bowled incisive spells to help restrict the Australians.

Resuming at 0-25 from day one, openers Burns and Cameron Bancroft were subjected to a fiery spell from Thakur, who bowled with good pace and energy.

That enthusiasm went to the next level when he twice looked to throw down the stumps of first Bancroft, who seemed none too pleased when he was struck, and then Burns.

The latter was also hit as he retreated to make his ground, prompting an appeal from Thakur for obstructing the field.

Bancroft (10) fell a short while later without adding to his overnight score, trapped lbw by Aaron by one that appeared to jag back in towards leg stump.

Victoria's Travis Dean had a tough time against Thakur, making one from 16 balls and edging the paceman through to first slip.

That wicket brought Handscomb to the crease, and for a long time he loomed as the Indians' major obstacle, with the Australia A captain in imperious form in crunching 15 fours and a six during his 93-ball stay.

The maximum was a stunning blow, the right-hander pulling Aaron onto the roof of Queensland Cricket HQ as he pushed towards three figures in a hurry.

At the other end, Burns pushed the demons of Sri Lanka well out of his mind during a three-hour stay in the middle, playing pace and spin equally adeptly as he settled in for the long haul.

Yet those long-term plans were spoiled by Pandya, who squared up the Queenslander, and his leading edge found Karun Nair at gully.

It brought to an end an entertaining 118-run stand for the third wicket that looked for all likelihood to be putting Australia A very much in the ascendancy.

And it brought about a frenetic period in which the hosts lost 6-103.

Pandya had wickets in successive overs when a miscued pull shot from Marcus Stoinis (2) made for a simple catch at midwicket, and at 4-169, the Indians were suddenly back in the contest.

Handscomb's wicket – 13 short of a hundred – came in the cruellest fashion, as a mix-up with Beau Webster while pushing for a second run left the Victorian stranded mid-pitch and cursing his luck.

Sam Whiteman's attempted heave over long-on only resulted in him being clean bowled for 10 and was uncharacteristic of such a classy batsman, while Mitch Swepson's quick-fire 14 was the only contribution from the tail as the home side lost their final five wickets for 30.

Moody and Worrall took the new ball and threatened regularly, removing Akhil Herwadkar and Faiz Fazal respectively before the clouds closed in and the heavens opened.