Patterson stranded as England Lions cruise to victory

The England Lions completed a crushing nine-wicket win on the fourth and final afternoon of their pink-ball clash with Australia A.

Kurtis Patterson was left stranded not out on 94 for Australia A, having edged himself within a stroke of a century while nursing the tail, until the final wicket fell at 271.

Patterson's knock, comfortably the highest score from the Australia A batters in the match, helped the home side at least avoid the indignity of an innings defeat after they were asked to follow on, but left the Lions a meagre target of just 20.

Jackson Bird made the most of the new ball to remove England Test opener and first-innings centurion Dom Sibley for three, but Zak Crawley (13 not out) and Keaton Jennings (5no) saw the tourists home.

Australia A were left to rue a pink ball that went soft after a dozen overs in their first bowling innings after captain Moises Henriques won the toss and opted to bowl.

Australia A had reduced the Lions to 3-55, but a mammoth 219-run partnership meant the Lions had well-set batters for the crucial period under lights with the new ball.

"When you win the toss and get asked to follow on you start to question your decision originally," Henriques said.

"I obviously didn't forecast how the wicket was going to play correctly but I'm pretty sure both captains were going to have a bowl.

"They batted really well after being 3-55, that was a really big partnership and in the end that was the difference – we took 7-154 after we finished that partnership.

"If we were able to get through that first night with minimal damage we might have been able to make a game of it."

As the match panned out, by the time the Lions were dismissed for 428 after 140.2 overs, Australia A found themselves in facing a new pink ball under the second evening's lights, and promptly folded.

"Looking back, I would have adjusted my decision on the toss knowing if you bat first on day one if you don't bat well, you still get a decent crack at them under lights with a brand new ball," Henriques said.

"If you do bat well, you've batted into the next day. It's kind of a win-win and the game keeps moving forward."

Australia A had resumed the fourth day on 5-180 with Patterson occupying the crease with Queensland allrounder Jack Wildermuth.

The pair looked relatively untroubled in adding 37 runs on the fourth afternoon of this day-night contest before the Queenslander miscued a drive straight that was snaffled at head height by Tom Abell at extra cover.

A livid Wildermuth departed for 37 but, having been last man into the side as an 11th hour call-up to replace Marcus Stoinis, had acquitted himself well with a first-innings 50 and two quick wickets on the opening afternoon.

Patterson's innings is a continuation of a welcome return to form for the NSW batsman who has had a disrupted summer after a quad injury curtailed his involvement in the first half of the Shield season.

"I found it quite difficult. There were a few divots in the wicket, and I thought they bowled really well," Patterson said.

"I thought they challenged our stumps and challenged our defence really well.

"Kudos to them. I think we were really outplayed there. Probably the better team won the game.

"A bit disappointed in that respect, but it was nice to get some runs."

Patterson struck 54 at the SCG last week in the Shield match against Victoria and, with selectors yet to decide on back-up options to the incumbents for the mid-year Bangladesh Test tour, his runs are timely.

Challenged with the short ball by the Lions quicks, Patterson showed off his hook and pull shot prowess and struck 14 boundaries in his 166-ball stay.

Having been undone by surprise bounce in the first innings when he gloved a chance to second slip, there was little to cause Patterson alarm in his second knock and, with support, looked certain to notch a century.

The Australia A squad will disband as players return to their home states for the final two rounds of Sheffield Shield action, while the England Lions travel to Wollongong for the final match of their tour, a four-day fixture against the NSW Second XI.

Australia A: Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja, Nic Maddinson, Kurtis Patterson, Moises Henriques (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Jack Wildermuth, Michael Neser, Jackson Bird, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson.

England Lions: Zak Crawley, Dominic Sibley, Keaton Jennings, Sam Northeast, Dan Lawrence, James Bracey, Tom Abell, Dominic Bess, Craig Overton, Brydon Carse, Ollie Robinson.