Handscomb powers Aus A as tourists fight

Australia A will likely need a clatter of wickets if they are to force a result on the final day of their four-day clash against South Africa A in Townsville.

On a day highlighted by a superb century from Australia A captain Peter Handscomb, which has given a timely boost to his case for higher honours, the tourists finished the day on 1-18 in their second innings, a deficit of 80 after the home side posted 402.

Australia A paceman Scott Boland struck a crucial blow late in the final session, trapping skipper Stephen Cook in front of his stumps for a second duck of the tour.

And the hosts will need more early wickets on Tuesday morning to have any chance of securing victory in a match they've had the better of for much of the three days so far.

"I'm nit-picking, but I would have liked us to get maybe 50 more runs so we could have a really good crack at them tomorrow," Handscomb said after play.

"But I can't really fault the boys. They made 400 runs and it was a team performance so I'm quite happy."

Handscomb provided the foundation of the home side's total, the elegant right-hander eventually dismissed just before the tea break for 137 from 244 balls, with 20 boundaries.

After opener Kurtis Patterson (92) fell agonisingly short of his fifth first-class century in the morning session, Handscomb brought up three figures shortly after the lunch break.

Having rocketed along at more than four runs an over for parts of day two, the hosts added just 64 runs in the morning session as the tourists' bowlers bounced back from a loose display on the second evening.

Patterson, who started the day unbeaten on 86, added just six runs in the morning before he top-edged a pull shot and offered a simple catch to Dane Piedt at backward point.

The tourists' bowlers continued to dry up the runs and were rewarded with their second wicket of the morning session, a brilliant direct hit from Piedt catching Jake Lehmann short of his ground for 12 off 28 balls.

Handscomb and Victoria teammate Marcus Stoinis showed intent to push the score along as the hosts looked to force a result after South Africa A had taken almost 130 overs to score 304 over the first four sessions of the match.

Handscomb reached his hundred with a quick single off Piedt, but any hopes of some late fireworks were quelled by regular lower-order wickets and some more tight bowling from the South Africans.

After Stoinis was the fourth wicket to fall with the score on 298, only tail-enders Chris Tremain and Scott Boland fashioned a partnership that exceeded 35.

This was due in no small part to the tourists' bowlers, led by the impressive Hardus Viljoen, who deserved better than his figures of 1-61 from 27 overs. Piedt (3-99) and seamer Andile Phehlukwayo (3-70) were rewarded for their efforts.

"He's a really good player," Phehlukwayo said of Handscomb.

"He's really good square of the wicket, his general play is really good and he has a good game plan.

"I think the team overall bowled better than yesterday.

"I don't think we started really well but today we did much better."

Australia A had made two changes to their side with South Australia's Lehmann replacing Queensland opener Matt Renshaw (concussion) and Victoria quick Boland coming in for SA's Daniel Worrall.

Renshaw was ruled out after he hit his head on a beam in the team dugout during a training session earlier in the week and suffered a mild concussion. The injury isn't expected to rule him out of the upcoming one-day matches, where he will play for the National Performance Squad.

Renshaw's absence meant Patterson was promoted to partner Bancroft at the top of the order, with Lehmann slotting in at No.4.

For the tourists, Test quick Vernon Philander - who made his return to first-class cricket last week after a long absence due to injury - has returned home and was replaced in the side by left-armer Parnell.

Philander is hoping to join SA's Test squad for their series against New Zealand later this month, fitness permitting.

AUSTRALIA A

Cameron Bancroft, Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb (c), Jake Lehmann, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Sam Whiteman, Joe Mennie, Chris Tremain, Scott Boland, Mitchell Swepson

SOUTH AFRICA A
Stephen Cook (c), Dean Elgar, Omphile Ramela, Stiaan Van Zyl, Temba Bavuma, Dane Vilas, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dane Piedt, Hardus Viljoen, Duane Olivier 

Every match of the Australia A winter series will be live streamed on cricket.com.au and the Cricket Australia Live App.

Full Australia A series details

Australia A first-class squad v South Africa: Peter Handscomb (c), Cameron Bancroft, Scott Boland, Jon Holland, Jake Lehmann, Joe Mennie, Kurtis Patterson, Matt Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Chris Tremain, Sam Whiteman, Dan Worrall.

Australia A one-day squad: Chris Lynn (c), Peter Handscomb (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Scott Boland, Cameron Boyce, Jake Lehmann, Glenn Maxwell, Joe Mennie, Kurtis Patterson, Kane Richardson, Alex Ross, Marcus Stoinis, Chris Tremain, Sam Whiteman, Dan Worrall.

National Performance Squad: Sean Abbott (NSW), Hilton Cartwright (WA), Kyle Gardiner (WA), David Grant (SA), Sam Grimwade (Vic), Sam Harper (Vic), Sam Heazlett (Qld), Clint Hinchliffe (WA), Josh Inglis (WA), Caleb Jewell (Tas), David Moody (WA), Arjun Nair (NSW), Tom O'Donnell (Vic), Matthew Renshaw (Qld), Matthew Short (Vic), Mitchell Swepson (Qld).

South Africa A four-day squad: Stephen Cook (c), Qaasim Adams, Temba Bavuma, Dean Elgar, Heino Kuhn, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Duanne Olivier, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Omphile Ramela, Stiaan van Zyl, Dane Vilas, Hardus Viljoen 

South Africa A one-day squad: Wayne Parnell (c), Qaasim Adams, Marchant de Lange, Reeza Hendricks, Heino Kuhn, Eddie Leie, Sisanda Magala, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Rilee Rossouw, Malusi Siboto, Khaya Zondo, David Miller, Dane Vilas 

India A squad: Naman Ojha (capt), Faiz Fazal, Akhil Herwadkar, Shreyas Iyer, Karun Nair, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Vijay Shankar, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Varun Aaron, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jaydev Unadkat, Barinder Sran, Shahbaz Nadeem, Sanju Samson.

Fixtures

Four-day matches 

30 July – 2 August, Australia A def South Africa A by 197 runs, AB Field, Brisbane
6 August – 9 August, Australia A v South Africa A, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville

One-day Series

13 August, South Africa A v NPS, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
14 August, Australia A v India A, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
16 August, Australia A v NPS, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
17 August, South Africa A v India A, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
20 August, Australia A v South Africa A, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
21 August, India A v NPS, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
24 August, NPS v Australia A, Harrup Park, Mackay
25 August, South Africa A v India A, Harrup Park, Mackay
27 August, NPS v India A, Harrup Park, Mackay
28 August, Australia A v South Africa A, Harrup Park, Mackay
30 August, Australia A v India A, Harrup Park, Mackay
31 August, South Africa A v NPS, Harrup Park, Mackay
3 September; Final 3 v 4, Harrup Park, Mackay
4 September, Final 1 v 2, Harrup Park, Mackay

Four-day matches

8-11 September, Australia A v India A, Allan Border Field, Brisbane
15-18 September, Australia A v India A, Allan Border Field, Brisbane