Press Trust of India
Perth, Jan 9: Rohit Sharma (67, 82b, 6×4, 3×6) and Manish Pandey (58, 59b, 3×4) sparkled with half centuries after which the bowlers came good to hand a 64-run win to the Indians over a second string Western Australia XI in the warm-up one-day cricket match here Saturday.
Having won the first practice Twenty20, the Indians once managed to hit the right notes in bowling after an erratic batting performance at the WACA. After managing 249 all out in 49.1 overs, the Indians packed off WA XI for 185 in 49.2 overs.
Electing to bat, the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side did not have the best of starts, losing two quick wickets but Rohit and Ajinkya Rahane (41, 53b, 3×4) stitched an 88-run third-wicket partnership to help the visitors put up a respectable score.
Shikhar Dhawan (four) and Virat Kohli (seven), who were top-scorers in the first warm-up T20 game Friday, failed to get going as they fell to new-ball bowler Drew Porter (5/37), who bagged a five-wicket haul.
After that Pandey managed a 60-run seventh-wicket partnership with Ravindra Jadeja (26, 25b, 1×4, 1×6) to pace up the innings and take it close to the 250-run mark.
In reply, the William Bosisto-led side started on a cautious note against a disciplined Indian attack led by Umesh Yadav (1/29), but soon hit a rough patch after losing a couple of wickets. Yadav drew first blood with the wicket of Bosisto (13) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2/32) sprung into action to send back D’Arcy Short (10).
Ravindra Jadeja (2/38), Axar Patel (2/29) and Rishi Dhawan (2/28) also chipped away with wickets at regular intervals to stall the Western Australia chase.
No.7 batsman Jaron Morgan made a fighting 50, but his innings came too late in the day with the asking rate and the target beyond their reach.
