Mennie's four restricts South Africans

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Redbacks quick Joe Mennie carried on his superb form on day one between Australia A and South Africa A in Townsville, snaring 4-44 from 18 overs as the tourists went to stumps at 5-203. 

South Africa A skipper Stephen Cook won the toss and elected to bat, making an assured 53 from the top order after twin failures in the series opener in Brisbane.

Mennie struck at the other end, removing Dean Elgar for five, Jake Lehmann holding the catch. 

Cook formed a strong partnership with Omphile Ramela but Mennie grabbed his second when the skipper edged an attempted pull shot through to 'keeper Sam Whiteman. 

Midway through the day, a fire alarm resulted in the players leaving the field for a brief period before play was resumed shortly before 3pm. 

Mennie picked up where he left off after the enforced interval, giving Whiteman another two catches as he found the edges of Stiaan van Zyl (10) and Tatenda Bavuma (20). 

Ramela was the standout performer for the visitors, making 82 before holing out to the leg-spin of young Queenslander Mitch Swepson. 

Mennie has now taken 11 wickets in less than three innings across the two first-class fixtures, as well as making an unbeaten half-century in Brisbane. 

"We're in a really good position considering where South Africa were at lunch, or tea even," Swepson said after play. "They set themselves up well but our quicks tightened the screws and made it hard for them to score.

"(Mennie) is bowling the house down at the moment. He's got four wickets to show for it and he deserves them, he's bowling really well."

Australia A, who won the first match of the winter series in Brisbane last week by 197 runs, made two changes to their side with South Australia's Lehmann replacing Queensland opener Matt Renshaw (concussion) and Victoria quick Scott Boland coming in for SA's Daniel Worrall.

Renshaw was ruled out of the match 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 means New South Welshman Kurtis Patterson has been promoted to partner Cameron 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 has been replaced in the side by left-armer Wayne Parnell.

Philander is expected to join SA's Test squad for their series against New Zealand later this month.

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