Australia A romp to big tri-series opening win

Australia A have cruised to a nine-wicket win over South Africa A in the opening match of the one-day international triangular series in Chennai.

In sweltering conditions, Australia A skipper Usman Khawaja blasted 73 from 82 balls while fellow Queensland Bulls batsman Joe Burns hit an unbeaten 63 to earn their team a bonus point and overhaul South Africa A's 171 all out with 19 overs to spare.

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Khawaja was in fine touch, straight driving beautifully as he struck nine fours while Burns looked untroubled in hitting six boundaries and a six as the pair put on 142 for the first wicket.

Khawaja fell 30 runs short of the target, paving the way for South Australia's Travis Head to blast 27 from just 20 balls to complete the rout.

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Burns drives for four in Chennai // BCCI

Nathan Coulter-Nile took three wickets while there were two apiece for Cameron Boyce, Aston Agar and James Pattinson, playing his first match since a hamstring injury in the tail end of the Australian summer.

South Africa had started well after electing to bat at the toss, adding 73 for the first wicket but Australia's spinners were soon causing problems for the top order.

Former Test player Dean Elgar (28) was deceived by the flight of Boyce's leg-spin to chip a catch to Pattinson at mid-off.

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Boyce is congratulated by teammates // BCCI

The Queenslander, who plies his trade with Hobart in the KFC Big Bash League, struck again to remove Theunis de Bruyn (17) when the batsman failed to pick a slower ball and smacked a catch straight to Callum Ferguson at short extra-cover.

Ashton Agar removed the well-set Reeza Hendricks for 43 just four balls later and the South Africans continued to lose wickets in clumps at regular intervals.

Coulter-Nile took two wickets in the space of five balls, first having Dane Vilas (8) well caught down the leg-side by Matthew Wade, then finding the outside edge from Khaya Zondo (21).

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Coulter-Nile picked up three key wickets // BCCI

Agar completed a Hendricks double act when he removed Beuran with the simplest of caught-and-bowled chances.

And Pattinson, bowling around the 140kph mark, returned to mop up the tail and finish with 2-41 from 9.4 overs.

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