Young India A side led by Ruturaj Gaikwad capitulated under the Queensland sun in Mackay on Thursday, October 31 to 107 all-out. On a pitch that assisted seam and swing, Australia A bowlers proved to be a handful after choosing to bowl first and South Australia’s Brendan Doggett was the star of the show with six wickets for basically nothing. A tentative Indian top-order couldn’t do much as India were 32/3 at one point before a partnership was built as Devdutt Padikkal played a few good strokes. But that was it.
It was yet another poor outing opening the innings for captain Gaikwad in red-ball cricket and the Test hopeful Abhimanyu Easwaran, even though got through a few overs, but was eventually dismissed for just seven. Jordan Buckingham removed both of them. Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan delayed the procession for a bit, only for Doggett to run riot in the second spell and India A collapsed to 107 all out from being 71/3 at one stage.
Navdeep Saini too did his bit by adding 23 runs and was only the third batter for India A to get into double digits. However, he too could go only so far. Doggett bowled 11 overs including six maidens while giving away just 15 runs and dismissed six of the India A batters.
Doggett changed his lengths constantly but got the ball to move whether it was at good length, pitched full or short and posed problems for India A batters.
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Indian bowlers got the new ball to move as well and got some early wickets as they reaped the rewards for pitching in good areas and got their rewards. Australia A too were three down cheaply as all three of the Test hopefuls for that vacant opener’s slot failed in the supposed audition. While Sam Konstas and Cameron Bancroft recorded ducks, Marcus Harris got to 17.
Beau Webster played a positive hand of 33 before being sent back by Mukesh Kumar for his second wicket of the day but Australi A captains Nathan McSweeney was solid as the hosts ended the day trailing by just eight runs with six wickets in hand.
