Harvey smashed 10 fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 70.
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A top-order onslaught on either side of a three-hour rain break secured Australia-A a nine-wicket win over India-A in the second one-dayer at the Green Park Stadium on Friday.
Jake Fraser-McGurk (36, 20b, 7×4, 1×6) and Mackenzie Harvey (70 n.o., 49b, 10×4, 2×6) walloped to a rapid start, with the former slapping Arshdeep Singh through covers for three consecutive boundaries in the third over.
The pair added 48 runs inside six overs, and the visiting side side needed only 112 more when the game was reduced to 25 overs post the break. Cooper Connolly took the tweakers apart with his unbeaten 31-ball 50 (5×4, 3×6) as Australia-A crossed the line in the 17th over to level the three-match series.
A lopsided contest was not on the cards at the mid-innings break after Tilak Varma’s spirited 94 (122b, 5×4, 4×6) had got India-A to 246.
Tilak added to his credentials as a dependable middle-order batter by steering his side through a top-order collapse.
The brewing anticipation around Abhishek Sharma’s inclusion met an anticlimactic end when he chased a wide delivery and edged to first slip for a golden duck. Shreyas Iyer was nabbed by a nip-backer from Jack Edwards, leaving India-A reeling at 17 for three.
But, Tilak and Riyan Parag brought up a century alliance to navigate through the early jitters.
Tilak relished the task at hand, plotting together India-A’s recovery in singles. He waited for a favourable match-up against leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha to deploy his sweep, first for a four and then a six through square leg.
Tilak did not veer off course and held his end even as his side lost three wickets in the space of 18 runs.
The tail did not make Tilak’s work easier, preferring the fleeting thrill of slogging across the line over providing steady support. Tilak farmed the strike at the death, but was caught at long off, looking for a big hit in the 46th over.
The scores: India-A 246 in 45.5 overs (Tilak Varma 94, Riyan Parag 58, Jack Edwards 4/56) lost to Australia-A 160/1 in 16.4 overs (Mackenzie Harvey 70 n.o., Cooper Connolly 50 n.o.) by DLS method. Target revised to 160 in 25 overs. Toss: India-A; PoM: Harvey.
Published – October 03, 2025 11:46 pm IST
