AGENCY
MUMBAI: The three-day warm-up game between India A and Australia ended in a draw in Mumbai today. India ‘A’ were all out for 403 this morning, conceding a lead of 66 runs to Australia. The visitors who had scored 469 for 7 declared in their first innings, were 110 for four in their second innings before the game ended with mutual consent. Earlier, young batsman Shreyas Iyer pounded the Australian bowlers with his career-best unbeaten 202. Iyer, who resumed in the morning at overnight 85, completed his century in 10 minutes. Along with Krishnappa Gowtham, he shared a 138-run stand for the seventh wicket.
Holding a lead of 66, Australia advanced to 59 for two in the second innings at tea, after losing opener Matt Renshaw (10), his second failure in the match, and Glenn Maxwell (1), promoted in the order. Both Renshaw and Maxwell were bowled trying to drive home team captain Hardik Pandya and Navdeep Saini respectively. At the end of the second session, vice-captain David Warner was batting on 35 with six fours along with Stephen O’Keefe (11) and the visitors were 125 runs in front with one session left. Iyer, who came to the crease yesterday in the 12th over with the score reading 19, remained unconquered after a stay of six minutes over six hours and caught the eye with his assured stroke-play, both off spin as well as against pace. He also bettered his 200 made in October 2015 in the Ranji game against Punjab at the nearby Wankhede Stadium. The 22-year-old Mumbai batsman, who has now made nine first class hundreds with his third century of the season, hit 27 fours and 7 sixes, all off the two spinners Nathan Lyon and Stephen O’Keefe who both conceded over 100 runs while taking four and three wickets respectively. Just as he had done in the morning when racing from overnight 85 to 100 with a flurry of fours off speedster Jackson Bird, Iyer galloped from 184 to 202 with the help of four fours in one over from left arm spinner Stephen O’Keefe before the India ‘A’ innings came to an end.
He and Gowtham stole the limelight with some brilliant batting this morning as India ‘A’ reached 347 for 6 at lunch by adding 171 runs in just 32 overs. The home team lost two wickets before Gowtham, who was unable to bowl in the Australia innings due to a hamstring injury, hammered off spinner Nathan Lyon for four sixes on way to reach his half century off just 43 balls. The four-Test rubber between India and Australia commences in Pune on February 23. India have already named the same 16 man squad for the first two Tests against Australia as was selected for the one-off Test against Bangladesh. The remaining three Tests will be played in Bengaluru, Ranchi and Dharamshala.(PTI)
score board
Australia 1st innings 469/7 dec
India A 1st innings
AA Herwadkar c & b Lyon 04
PK Panchal c Handscomb b Lyon 36
SS Iyer not out 202
AR Bawne lbw b Bird 25
HH Pandya* c †Wade b Bird 19
RR Pant† c & b O’Keefe 21
Ishan Kishan c †Wade b MR Marsh 04
K Gowtham b O’Keefe 74
S Nadeem lbw b O’Keefe 00
AB Dinda c Handscomb b Lyon 02
NA Saini c Smith b Lyon 04
Extras 12
Total 403/10
Australia 2nd innings
DA Warner c sub (B Indrajith) b Dinda 35
MT Renshaw b Pandya 10
GJ Maxwell b Saini 01
SNJ O’Keefe not out 19
PSP Handscomb c Gowtham b Pant 37
MS Wade† not out 06
Extras 02
Total 110/4
