Report: India A vs Australians, Day 3
First Published : 18 Feb 2013, 17:30
Last Modified : 18 Feb 2013, 18:25
The Australian batsmen’s vulnerability against spin bowling came to the fore in a rather explicit way as they folded for 235 to India A spinners in their first innings. As a result, the Australians suffered the ignominy of being asked to follow on, before the three-day game ended in a draw.
It was the finger spin of Jalaj Saxena and Rakesh Dhruv that did the Australians in. The duo shared nine wickets between them – while Peter Siddle’s dismissal was a run-out.
Dhruv completed a five-wicket haul in 14.3 overs when he picked the last wicket to fall in the first Australian innings, in Matthew Wade. His other victims were Shane Watson, Ed Cowan, Moises Henriques and Xavier Doherty.
Saxena picked up four wickets, in form of Phil Hughes, Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon as he finished with four for 61 in 19 overs.
With the exception of Shane Watson (84), Ed Cowan (40) and Matthew Wade (40), none of the batsmen crossed 35 and the Australians conceded a 216-run lead. India A captain, Gautam Gambhir, decided to put the visitors in to bat again, and the match was declared a draw when the Australians were on 195 for three in their second innings.
Brief Scores: India A 1st innings 451 for 10 (Tiwary 129, Gambhir 112, Doherty 3/108); Australians 1st innings 235 for 10 (Watson 84, Dhruv 5/51, Saxena 4/61); Australians 2nd innings 195 for 3 (Watson 60, Cowan 53)
