Spirited Aussies secure Chennai draw

Australia A gave spirited chase in pursuit of victory following a sporting declaration from India A on the final day of the four-day match in Chennai, before both teams settled on a draw with 10 overs remaining in the day.

‘Experience’ is the key word for everyone involved in Australia A’s month-long tour to India, and there was much to be gained for the Australian side despite the draw.

An upbeat Australia A captain Usman Khawaja – though disappointed his side didn’t win – said post-match: “It’s not about winning or losing but it’s the experience we gain here for when we do come next time for a series such as playing for Australia.”

Emerging talent like Western Australian opener Cameron Bancroft, South Australian young gun Travis Head and Victorians Peter Handscomb (also a wicketkeeper) and Marcus Stonis (allrounder) scored half-centuries against some of India’s best bowlers, including quick Umesh Yadav and spinner Amit Mishra, who have both been called into India’s Test team to tour Sri Lanka next month.

And with Virat Kohli slated to appear for India A next match beginning 29 July, Australia A bowlers will again have the chance to test their skills in challenging Indian conditions.

Australia’s bowlers were up to the task today on a pitch that became slower as the match progressed.

India A began day four on 3-121 with the first hour belonging to the hosts as Shreyas Iyer and Karun Nair looked content to steadily accumulate and build their team’s total.

Gurinder Sandhu elected to continue bowling off-spin on a wicket that wasn’t giving much for the quicks, but wasn’t able to produce the immediate results he conjured yesterday.

Instead it was the other quicks who struck in the second hour to keep the game interesting.

Three wickets fell in 12 balls as Marcus Stoinis (2-18) pegged back the stumps of Nair (23) and Naman Ojha (4).

Iyer, who had been India’s A’s most attacking batsman throughout the match, departed to a great catch by Nic Maddison on the boundary for 33 off the bowling of Andrew Fekete, and India A went into lunch at 6-185.

The declaration came after lunch and another two wickets – this time to O’Keefe in successive overs as he added to his six-wicket haul in the first innings.

O’Keefe (2-81) had Vijay Shankar caught at first slip for 15 and Abhimanyu Mithun caught in close by Handscomb for 4.

India’s declaration at 8-208 was sporting but still a tough ask for Australia, the tourists needing to score 240 runs in 55 overs for victory.

Australia openers Khawaja and Bancroft started watchfully but positively, taking care not to miss out on any bad balls.

Khawaja was undone by Mishra for 12, but Head seemed undaunted by the task after replacing him. Together, Bancroft and Head pushed along their 79-run partnership at a scoring rate of just over three runs an over – the highest prolonged scoring rate of the match.

They both reached well-made half centuries but when Head departed for 50, caught behind off the bowling of Mithun, the required run rate was starting to resemble something more out of a T20 match.

Bancroft was dismissed in the next over to an excellent catch at silly point off the bowling of Mishra for 51, and the scorecard for Australia read 3-115 with 19 overs remaining.

It appeared Maddinson still had victory in mind when he hit the first ball he faced off Mishra into the crowd for six. He dispatched Ojha next over in similar fashion, though with a couple of extra metres added on in distance.

But when Handscomb departed for a duck, it wasn’t long until both sides settled on a draw. Maddinson (37 from 37 balls) and Stoinis (9 from 9 balls) finished not out with Australia 4-161.

Australia A will play India A in their second four-day match starting next Wednesday in Chennai.

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