Mount Maunganui, Jan 14: In an authoritative show, Indian colts trounced Australia by a massive 100 run margin in their ICC U-19 World Cup opener with bowlers complementing a splendid batting performance, here Sunday.
Skipper Prithvi Shaw (94,100b, 8×4, 2×6) led from the front with a blistering knock and shared a 180-run stand with fellow opener Manjot Kalra (86, 99b, 12×4, 1×6) to power India to a challenging 328 for seven.
There was no respite for the Australians even after their departure with Shubhman Gill (63, 54b, 6×4, 1×6) tormenting the bowlers with his brisk half century.
India pacers Kamlesh Nagrakoti (3/29) and Shivam Mavi (3/45) then impressed with their speed and shared six wickets between them to shot out Australia for 228 in 42.5 overs.
Nagarkoti hit the deck consistently at a speed in the range of 150kmph and was well supported by Mavi, who also clocked 145 at times. The two pacers tested Australians with their nagging off-stump line.
Australia opener Jack Edwards (73, 90b, 6×4, 1×6) top-scored for his side after a steady start with Max Bryant (29) but struggled to find support from others. Jonathan Merlo (38) tried his best in the middle order and stumper Baxtor Holt (39) resisted in a rearguard fight but both were undone by Mavi.
It was not that Shaw and Klara plundered boundaries, instead they raised their knocks with some stupendous risk- free batting. Shaw, though, missed out on a century by six runs as he was caught behind off Will Sutherland, son of Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland. His opening partner also missed out on a ton.
There were no steady partnerships after their departure even as Gill kept one end solid. The middle order batsmen lost their wickets, trying to accelerate the run-rate as Himanshu Rana (14) and Anukul Roy (6) fell cheaply. Abhishek Sharma (23) though managed to come up with a cameo which propelled India past the 300-run mark.
As Indian batsmen looked for some quick runs, Australian medium fast bowler Jack Edwards ended up taking four wickets. It was Edwards, who dismissed Rana and then later added wickets of Abhishek and Shiva Singh (10) to his tally.
Brief scores: India 328/7 (Prithvi Shaw 94, Manjot Kalra 86; Jack Edwards 4/65) lost to Australia 228 (Jack Edwards 73; Kamlesh Nagrakoti 3/29, Shivam Mavi 3/45) by 100 runs.
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