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Richardson swaps pace for patience

Australia A speedster learning the ways of his craft in unfamiliar conditions as tourists look ahead to South Africa A

Young Australia A paceman Jhye Richardson is quickly learning what's required for success as a fast bowler in the subcontinent – and it isn't raw pace.

Richardson has risen rapidly through the ranks over the past 12 months, earning selection as part of Australia's Test squad for South Africa in February despite having just six first-class matches to his name.

The 21-year-old's chief weapon has been his impressive pace, though on Thursday in Bengaluru, he showed he is far from one-dimensional in Australia A's series-opening defeat to India A, claiming the bowling honours with 3-21.

India A down Aussies in quad series opener


With the tourists defending 151, the right-armer had Ravikumar Samarth caught at midwicket and castled gloveman Sanju Samson first ball to put the Australians right in the contest. Richardson then dismissed Suryakumar Yadav, caught at third man, to have three scalps before the teams walked off for the match interval.

"I probably felt a little bit rusty with not being able to get on the park as much as we'd have liked," Richardson said, after a week of rain washed out the opening matches and caused the series to be relocated.

"But the first few balls of my spell swung early, which I was really happy with – it means my wrist was in a decent position.

"It probably wasn't the best I've bowled, but luckily enough I got some rewards."

Richardson said his success came about as a result of "sticking to the plans" the tourists had worked out for each batsman, and the thoughtful Western Australian added that in the past he had been guilty of doing away with strategy and instead opting for flat-out speed as his lone weapon.

"Speaking to a lot of the other guys, they often say patience is the key in India," he said. "Don't get greedy. Hit the stumps as much as you can and really put pressure on the batsmen. Be as patient as possible.

"I know I've fallen into the trap of just trying to blow batsmen out of the water – and that's just not the case at this level.

"You can't just bowl fast and get away with it – you have to be really on the spot.

"Over the last few months, getting the national call-up, that's been the major learning experience for me.

"That's a key for India – if the wickets are slow and low, then that's the way to get batsmen out, by putting the pressure on and building dot balls."

Richardson said the lessons learned in South Africa while working with Australia's Test pacemen had already proven beneficial.

"I'm happy with how I've been working – I've been working really hard at my game," he said. "To be able to learn off Mitch Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood has done wonders for my game I think, just being able to really concentrate on what I need to get better at."

Should he impress in India, Richardson could well be replacing either of injured pair Hazlewood or Cummins in the Test side for the two-match series against Pakistan in the UAE in October.

For now however, he is focused on success in the 'A' series.

"The talk after the game was still playing our own game but being able to adapt to conditions, and I don't think we did that as well as we could have," he added. "But going into the next game we probably know what to expect a bit more and the guys are keen to overturn that result.

"(The wicket was) a little bit tacky, but definitely enough in it for the pace bowlers … if we get a similar wicket, (I will be) trying to be a bit fuller – I think I was probably a little bit short."

Australia A's next match is against South Africa A on Saturday.

Australia A Tour of India

Australia A one-day squad: Travis Head (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Joel Paris, Matthew Renshaw, Jhye Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Mitch Swepson, Chris Tremain, Jack Wildermuth

Schedule

One-day fixtures

17 August v India A: Match abandoned

19 August v South Africa A: Match abandoned

21 August v India B: Match abandoned

23 August v India A - lost by five wickets

25 August v South Africa A

27 August v India B

29 August - Quad-Series Final

Australia A four-day squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Brendan Doggett, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Michael Neser, Joel Paris, Kurtis Patterson, Matthew Renshaw, Mitch Swepson, Chris Tremain

Four-day fixtures in Vizag

2-5 September v India A

8-11 September v India A