Mumbai: Shreyas Iyer (85 batting, 93b, 7×4, 5×6) stroked his way to an unbeaten half-century in an otherwise unimpressive batting display by India A in reply to Australia’s first-innings total of 469 for seven declared on the second day of the three-day practice game here Saturday.
Iyer, who has been knocking on the doors of the national team over the past couple of seasons with his attacking batting in domestic cricket, could not have chosen a better platform to showcase his talent, in a team score of 176 for 4.The batsman unbeaten at the other end with Iyer, was another youngster- Rishabh Pant ( 3 batting) of Delhi. India A were 293 runs in arrears at stumps.
Iyer dominated the rival bowling, barring Jackson Bird (2/15), who was the pick of the Australian bowlers with his pace and movement. Iyer gave just once chance, off Lyon, soon after reaching his half century in 44 balls, but otherwise dominated the Aussie spin duo of Lyon, whom he hit for three sixes, and left-arm spinner Stepen O’Keefe, who was hoisted for two over the ropes by the youngster.
All the sixes were hit over long-on as Iyer, who is 15 runs short of his ninth first-class hundred in 38 games, danced down the track. The 22-year-old batsman’s innings was the pick of the India A reply in which opener Priyank Panchal (36, 62b, 5×4) got a start, but was beaten often by lanky pacer Jackson Bird.
The other batsmen Akhil Herwadkar (4), Ankit Bawne (25) and skipper Hardik Pandya (19) struggled.
For Australia, Lyon (2/72) – although punished by Iyer showed good form as he got purchase off the track to pick up two wickets.
In the morning, Mitchell Marsh (75, 159b, 11×4, 1×6) and Matthew Wade (64, 89b, 6×4) utilised the one-off opportunity to hit individual half centuries, ahead of the Test series opener.
The visitors declared soon after Marsh drove left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem (1/126) straight into the hands of the mid-off fielder to become the only victim of the innings in the bowler’s 31st over.
On day two, Mitchell Marsh and wicketkeeper Wade hardly looked in any trouble and the visitors would be pleased with the time spent in the middle by all the batsmen.
Australia declared when Glenn Maxwell (16 n o) and O’Keefe (8 n o) were at the crease and in reply, the home team’s openers Herwadkar and Panchal faced a testing time against Australia new ball bowlers Bird and Marsh.
Brief scores
Australia 469/7 decl (Mitchell Marsh 75, Matthew Wade 64; Navdeep Saini 2/42); India 176/4 (Shreyas Iyer 85 batting; Jackson Bird 2/15). Match to continue.
Press Trust of India