McSweeney, Beardman fire Aussies to strong win in India

Mahli Beardman has ramped up his return to cricket with four wickets against India A, as a Nathan McSweeney century helped Australia A to a 125-run one-day win in Puducherry.

Playing just his third match since a stress injury in his back ended last season early, Beardman took three wickets from his first 12 balls on Tuesday and finished with 4-23.

The speedster's wickets marked a triumphant day for Australia A, with McSweeney hitting 123 in the tourists' 274, before India A were all out for 149 in reply.

Beardman has long been earmarked as a future Australian prospect, and even made his T20I debut against Pakistan in January before being struck down by injury.

Speaking with cricket.com.au ahead of the contest, Beardman felt in a good place with both his body and his pace.

"It's been an incredible sort of six months ... with that real focus on just trying to get fitter and a little bit stronger," he said. "My ball speed feels like it's definitely in a good position; (I'm) back over the 140kph mark again in the nets which has been good.

"What I've always loved doing is trying to run in, bowl fast and unsettle batters. I've never really been one to put it on the spot and just dabble away. It's always been about running in and trying to bowl fast, and I feel like that's one of my greatest weapons.

"So that'll definitely be the focus over these next few months ... trying to bowl fast and trying to upset as many batsmen as possible."

The 21-year-old's haul came after figures of 0-29 and 0-42 in his first two one-day games back for Western Australia at the WACA Ground last week.

"It was awesome to be back," Beardman said. "It's only my third game back, so still feeling a little bit underdone. But it was great to just get out there and compete."

Meanwhile, McSweeney's fine hundred came after he was overlooked for a late call-up to Australia's Test squad for the South Africa series.

The South Australia skipper had scores of 0, 35, 34 and 36 in the recent first-class games against India A, a series from which Victoria wicketkeeper-batter bolted into the Test squad after making a superb 128 in the second match.

It was McSweeney's second List A hundred and came after the 27-year-old enjoyed a fruitful northern summer with Northamptonshire, where he scored four hundreds in 11 matches in the second division of the County Championship.

The right-hander, steadied his side from the perilous positions of 3-30 and 5-87, partnering with Will Sutherland (77) for a 141-run sixth-wicket stand that ultimately decided the match.

"The game was telling me I needed to bat some time," McSweeney said. "Basically keep the ball on the ground, run hard, and pick up the odd boundary. So it was pleasing to spend some time out there and get a good total."

- Lead images courtesy CPA

Australia A men's tour of India 2026

1st four-day: India A won by 162 runs

2nd four-day: Match drawn

1st one-day: Australia A won by 125 runs

2nd one-day: Oct 9, Puducherry, 3pm AEDT

3rd one-day: Oct 11, Puducherry, 3pm AEDT

Australia A one-day squad: Mahli Beardman, Nikhil Chaudhary, Ben Dwarshuis, Spencer Johnson, Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Riley Meredith, Todd Murphy, Mitch Owen, Josh Philippe, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Lachlan Shaw, Will Sutherland

India A one-day squad: Priyansh Arya, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal (vc), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Rajat Patidar, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Nishant Sindhu, Vipraj Nigam, Arshin Kulkarni, Arshad Khan, Naman Dhir, Hardik Pandya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Gurjapneet Singh, Yash Thakur