Holland has India A facing uphill task on Day Four

Leg-spinner Jon Holland took three wickets as India A lost four for 16 to finish Day Three in Brisbane at 158 for 4. It needs another 108 runs to make Australia A bat again.

Jon Holland dented India's top order by claiming the wickets of Karun Nair, Manish Pandey and Naman Ojha.

India A lost four wickets for 16 runs to nullify a strong start to its innings by its openers to end the third day of its four-day game against Australia A at 158 for 4. It still needs 108 runs to avoid an innings defeat.

After Australia A was bowled out for 435 in reply to India A’s first innings total of 169, openers Akhil Herwadkar and Faiz Fazal stuck together for 30 overs. But then India A lost wickets in a cluster — three to left-arm spinner Jon Holland, and one to a run out — before finishing the day on 158 for four in its second innings.

Herwadkar was unbeaten on 82 while Sanju Samson gave him company on 34 at the close.

Herwadkar was dropped twice, first by Nic Maddinson at first slip, and then on 53, when Jackson Bird put down a tough chance at leg slip. The dropped catches apart, Australia A also missed a run-out opportunity.

India A’s opening partnership ended with a chaotic run-out of Faiz Fazal. A throw at the striker’s end missed the stumps before Travis Dean, backing up, hit the other end to catch Fazal short of his ground. Fazal had played second fiddle to Herwadkar, contributing 29 off 88 balls with two fours and a six. Thereafter, Holland struck three times.

First, Karun Nair was trapped lbw, and then Manish Pandey was caught by Beau Webster, and finally, Naman Ojha was caught by Bird. Herwadkar and Samson then came together for an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 58. Samson faced 76 balls for his unbeaten 34, while Herwadkar had faced 188 balls and struck six fours and three sixes.

Earlier, Australia A, who began the day on 319 for five in its first innings, piled on 435 for a first-innings lead of 266 runs, with Hilton Cartwright, who was unbeaten on 99 overnight, completing his century. He eventually fell for 117, caught behind off Shardul Thakur, who completed his 10th first-class five-wicket haul and first outside India. He ended with figures of 5 for 101.

Brief Scores:

India A: 169 & 158/4 (Akhil Herwadkar 82 not out, Sanju Samson 34 not out; Jon Holland 3/59),

Australia A: 435 (Hilton Cartwright 117, Nic Maddinson 81; Shardul Thakur 5/101, Jayant Yadav 3/95).