Patterson flies after Mennie shines

Australia A have responded to a tense opening day of their unofficial Test against South Africa A with a dominant performance on day two to grab total control of the match at Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville.

The home side finished the day on 1-181, just 123 behind the tourists' first innings of 304 on a day where two New South Welshmen led the way.

South Australia fast bowler Joe Mennie, a native of Coffs Harbour on the NSW mid north coast, completed his second five-wicket haul in five days to help wrap up South Africa A's innings just after lunch before young Blues batsman Kurtis Patterson moved to 86no by the close.

Captain Peter Handscomb also finished unbeaten, scoring 58 as the hosts rocketed along at 3.7 runs an over in the final two sessions of the day.

Patterson struck 13 boundaries and will resume on Monday just 14 runs short of what would be his fifth first-class century, while Handscomb hit nine fours of his own.

"We're in a great position," Patterson said after play.

"With two days to go we'd love to bat big tomorrow, hopefully bat once and have a crack at winning the game.

"Hopefully Pete and I can get through the first hour tomorrow and really set up the match.

"I was quite nervous early on. I haven't opened before in first-class cricket before. But it was good fun. It was quite a nice wicket."

Mennie, who grabbed 4-44 from 18 overs yesterday as the tourists went to stumps at 5-203, grabbed his fifth wicket early this morning when he had Dane Vilas edging to Glenn Maxwell at slip for 24.

Maxwell then got in on the act, producing a brilliant off-spinner to clean bowl left-hander Wayne Parnell for 29.

The tourists went to lunch at 7-289 but the end came in a hurry as they lost their final three wickets for just 10 runs, Mennie finishing with 5-61 and leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson grabbing 3-55.

The tourists' innings crept along at a run rate of just 2.35 in a shade under 129 overs, a third of which were maidens as the home side's six-man bowling attack of Mennie, Swepson, Maxwell, Chris Tremain, Scott Boland and Marcus Stoinis kept things tight. 

But Patterson and Handscomb showed there were no demons in the pitch, adding 108 in just 25 overs after Cameron Bancroft was caught behind off the impressive Hardus Viljoen for 28.

For Mennie, man of the match in the home side's 197-run win at Allan Border Field in Brisbane last week, it was the fifth five-wicket haul of his career and his second in less than a week.

He has now taken 12 wickets in three innings across the two first-class fixtures, as well as making an unbeaten half-century in Brisbane. 

Australia A made two changes to the match 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