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India A 73 for five (Jurel 19*, Webster 2-14, McAndrew 2-22) lead Australia A 223 (Harris 74, Prasidh 4-50, Mukesh 3-41) by 11 runs
Marcus Harris boosted his possibilities of a Check recall with a gritty 74, whereas Prasidh Krishna continued his spectacular tour with 4 wickets and KL Rahul failed once more as wickets continued to tumble on a second day dominated by Australia A on the MCG.
Harris held Australia A’s innings collectively by way of two rain delays earlier than precious contributions from Jimmy Peirson, Nathan McAndrew and Corey Rocchiccioli helped them publish a vital 62-run first innings lead regardless of Prasidh taking 4 for 50 and Mukesh Kumar bagging 3 for 41 in spectacular spells.
India A then misplaced 5 wickets for 73, to steer by simply 11 at stumps, with McAndrew and Beau Webster doing the harm within the absence of Michael Neser who has flown dwelling to rehabilitate his strained left hamstring. Rahul survived towards the quicks however fell in weird vogue for simply 10 to the offspin of Rocchiccioli as he tried to pad away a ball happening leg and was bowled off his internal thigh.
Harris’ innings turned an increasing number of spectacular the longer the day went. The 32-year-old has been arguably the main candidate for Australia’s vacant Check opener’s spot however had not been in a position to solidify his case following a sequence of begins in his earlier 4 innings after scoring 143 and 52 within the first Sheffield Protect recreation of the summer time.
However on a troublesome MCG pitch, the place just one different participant within the recreation has handed 35 to date, Harris confirmed why he stays extremely regarded by Australia’s selectors with a affected person 74 to present Australia A an important first innings lead. The innings was paying homage to his final Check half-century in December 2021, when he made a match-winning 76 in a recreation the place one different participant handed 38 and Scott Boland took 6 for 7.
Having begun the day unbeaten on 26 after seeing fellow Check contender Nathan McSweeney and Cameron Bancroft fall cheaply on the opening evening, Harris watched from the non-striker’s finish as Sam Konstas, Ollie Davies and Webster all fell cheaply.
Left-armer Khaleel Ahmed pinned Konstas plumb lbw from across the wicket. Davies got here and went for a brisk 13, gifting his wicket to Krishna by holing out to midwicket, attempting to heave him over extensive on from an excellent size.
Webster nicked Mukesh to second slip to go away Australia A in serious trouble at 84 for five. However Harris remained resolute alongside Peirson. The pair needed to sit by way of two prolonged rain delays that had the potential to interrupt their focus.
Harris was compact, taking part in properly beneath his eyeline with management. He didn’t attempt to over-hit the ball and solely scored one boundary on the second day, having struck 4 on the opening evening.
He did have loads of success. After nicking one on the primary night that landed wanting wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, he survived an enormous attraction off Tanush Kotian. Bowling from across the wicket, the offspinner pitched one outdoors leg and Harris closed the face to attempt to work it leg aspect. The ball deflected to slide and India A had been satisfied it got here off the bat however umpire Michael Graham-Smith remained unmoved. The umpire believed it deflected off pad solely and Harris gestured as a lot when the India A gamers stood round him bewildered by the choice.
He picked up his scoring shortly after reaching 50, with Nitish Kumar Reddy not fairly as frugal as the opposite three quicks along with his lengths and contours.
Peirson additionally performed with positivity, putting 5 boundaries in his 30 together with a superb reverse sweep towards the offspinner. However Krishna returned to interrupt the partnership and proceed his spectacular tour. He had Peirson caught behind off the underside edge as he tried to drag a again of a size ball from outdoors off.
Shortly after, Harris sparred at one he should not have, pushing properly away from his physique to edge behind. His detractors will word it was one other instance of his propensity for making begins with out kicking onto large scores however undoubtedly the selectors will maintain this 74 as worthy of a three-figure rating giving how troublesome batting has been.
Krishna was on a hat-trick when Boland nicked the following ball to slide to go away Australia A eight down with a lead of simply six runs and with out Neser in a position to bat after injuring his hamstring on day one.
However Rocchiccioli and McAndrew produced a superb and entertaining 56-run final wicket stand in lower than 9 overs that might show the distinction within the recreation.
Rocchiccioli, clearly stung by batting beneath Boland within the line-up, performed some outrageous pictures in his 28-ball 35. He shovelled a ball over the keeper’s head and he launched two large sixes off Krishna and Kotian. McAndrew performed properly too, including an unbeaten 26 earlier than Rocchiccioli lastly nicked one at hand Mukesh his third for the innings.
India A’s second began solidly towards the brand new ball regardless of the pitch nonetheless providing lots for the seamers. They reached 25 with out loss earlier than Abhimanyu Easwaran sliced a catch to the gully off McAndrew. That set in movement a collapse the place India A misplaced 5 for 31.
Sai Sudharsan edged Webster to second slip the place Bancroft held a wonderful low catch. Ruturaj Gaikwad regarded in good contact earlier than lacking a supply from McAndrew that nipped in and thundered into his pad. The umpire gave him lbw. The road was not a difficulty however Gaikwad may need puzzled in regards to the peak as he paused earlier than departing.
Rahul had nobody accountable however himself. Rocchiccioli’s first ball of the day was an innocuous off break that was happening leg. There was a brief leg in place which triggered Rahul to withdraw from taking part in a shot. However he didn’t have his pads collectively as he tried to kick it away. It sneaked by way of the small hole in his thighs and ricocheted onto the stumps. Rahul’s returns of 4 and 10 for the match weren’t what India’s selectors would have hoped for having despatched him to play on this recreation forward of a attainable recall within the first Check in Perth as a alternative for Rohit Sharma.
Webster struck once more within the shadows as Devdutt Padikkal’s 19-ball keep ended with only one run when he nicked the allrounder to first slip.
It was left to Jurel once more to carry the innings collectively as he and Reddy noticed India A to stumps.
Alex Malcolm is an affiliate editor at ESPNcricinfo
