IND-A vs AUS-A | Ton-up Phillippe puts Australia-A in the driver’s seat

N. Jagadeesan and Abhimanyu Easwaran laid the foundation for India-A’s reply before rain forced an early close on day two of the first unofficial Test against Australia-A at the Ekana Cricket Stadium here on Wednesday.

At stumps, India-A was 116 for one in response to Australia-A’s 532 for six declared. Jagadeesan was unbeaten on 50 off 95 balls alongside his Tamil Nadu teammate Sai Sudharsan when play was halted just before Tea; a steady drizzle for over an hour ended the day’s play.

The host began positively as Abhimanyu settled into a rhythm after surviving an early run-out scare. He rotated the strike with ease and found the fence on either side of the wicket.

Jagadeesan looked assured from the start, opening with a crisp on-drive followed by a straight boundary. The pair added 88 runs for the opening wicket at a brisk rate. Abhimanyu’s promising 44 ended when he chopped Liam Scott onto his stumps. Jagadeesan carried on with Sai Sudharsan, bringing up a composed half-century before rain intervened.

Earlier, Australia-A strengthened its position with a blistering morning session. Resuming at 337 for five, the visitors plundered 195 runs in just 25 overs, powered by Josh Phillipe’s unbeaten 87-ball 123 and Xavier Bartlett’s quick-fire 39 off 24 balls.

Dropped on 26 by Jagadeesan, Phillipe capitalised fully, bringing up his fifty in 55 balls before launching into the spinners. Harsh Dubey’s over went for 19, and Tanush Kotian was struck for a six, four and a boundary in succession. The wicketkeeper-batter’s century was marked by proactive intent and clean striking. Bartlett, reprieved by Khaleel Ahmed, played with abandon, adding 118 runs in just 62 balls with Phillipe before the declaration.

The lone bright spot for the host came when Scott, who resumed on 47, was dismissed for 81 after mistiming a lofted drive to mid-off, giving Gurnoor Brar his reward.

The scores: Australia-A 532/6 decl. in 98 overs (Sam Konstas 109, Campbell Kellaway 88, Cooper Connolly 70, Liam Scott 81, Josh Phillippe 123 n.o., Harsh Dubey 3/141) vs India-A 116/1 in 30 overs (Abhimanyu Easwaran 44, N. Jagadeesan 50 batting).