McSweeney, Sutherland and Beardman do the star turn as Australia-A goes one up

Four wickets against his name, three with balls over 142 kmph on the speed gun. Mahli Beardman’s raging balls of fire proved too hot for India-A as it succumbed to a 125-run loss to Australia-A in the first one-dayer at the CAP Ground here on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old’s timely strikes helped bowl the home side out for 149 after Nathan McSweeney scored a fighting hundred (123, 135b, 13×4) to post a target of 275. Rajat Patidar was the only Indian batter (53, 51b, 5×4, 1×6) to put up some resistance.

After choosing to bat, Australia-A was pushed onto the back foot quickly. Yash Thakur used the short ball to force Mitch Owen and Sam Konstas into mistimed pulls.

With two more edges finding the fielders, the visitor found themselves in trouble at 87 for five. But McSweeney and captain Will Sutherland (77, 68b, 2×4, 4×6) arrested the slide with a sixth-wicket partnership of 141.

Upping the ante

Sutherland shifted gears as the lights came on for the final hour of the innings. He used his long levers to loft spinners into the leg-side fence. Just as Australia-A’s fightback looked set to help it reach 300, Suryansh Shedge (four for 40) picked three in four overs to close out the innings.

Despite Beardman sending the Indian top-order packing by beating them with his pace, India-A continued to harbour hopes of chasing the total down with its extended batting line-up.

Patidar managed to forge steady partnerships with skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (15) and Nishant Sindhu (31). But once they fell, the lower-order folded up.

The scores: Australia-A 274 in 48.2 overs (Nathan McSweeney 123, Will Sutherland 77, Thakur 3/47, Shedge 4/40) bt India-A 149 in 31.4 overs (Rajat Patidar 53, Beardman 4/23). Toss: Australia-A; PoM: McSweeney.