Good morning all and welcome to SportstarLive 's LIVE coverage of the first unofficial Test match between India-A and Australia-A from the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
The Test match is precariously poised at the start of third day's play. India managed a first innings lead thanks to Ankit Bawne's unbeaten 91 which helped the host recover from 127/5 to 274.
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India A finish the third day's play on 63/2 - Mayank Agarwal is batting on 28, Ankit Bawane on 6. The host needs 199 runs to win.
The next four-day match against India A starts on September 8 in Alur. The Australia A squad comprising the likes of Chris Tremain will be hoping to get a Test call-up ahead of next month’s contest against Pakistan. Holland, who has been faring well in Bengaluru, was ignored for tours to India and Bangladesh last year. This is the Victorian spinner's chance to set the record straight.
Jon Holland and Michael Neser took seven wickets between them in the first innings. With Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood sidelined by injuries, this is a good opportunity for Neser to stake a claim for a place in the Australian side for the 2-Tests against Pakistan!
4:28pm: Mayank Agarwal is batting on 18 off 45 balls. Agarwal, despite his runs in the domestic tournament, has failed to make it to the Asia Cup squad. Shepherding the team to win here might hedge his bets! India A 52/2
4:09 pm: Another one bites the dust, and it's the skipper Shreyas Iyer (28) who has to take the long walk back to the dressing room.
Ind A 39/2 - the host still needs 223 to win.
3:47 pm: A R Eswaran departs for a 7-ball duck! India A 4/1 after 4.3 overs
India must chase down 262 in order to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
3:16 pm: One brings two! Kuldeep gets the final wicket. Fellow spinner Jon Holland edges behind and Australia is all out for 292. The Aussies have added 250 runs in 67.5 overs today.
3:13 pm: Siraj gets through the defences of Tremain as Australia-A loses its ninth wicket. Australia is 292/4 with a lead of 261.
2:44 pm: Neser departs for 25 off 49. Australia A are eight down as Chris Tremain and Brendan Doggett try to further the visitor's lead!
Australia-A's partnerships so far in the second innings.
2:10 pm: Kuldeep Yadav strikes! Labuschagne (37) chops one from Kuldeep onto his stumps. He is terribly annoyed, as that turned out to be the last ball before Tea. Australia-A on 239/7 with a lead of 208.
1:53 pm: The lead now swells to 200... The wicket of Labuschagne (33 n.o.) remains key for Shreyas Iyer's side.
1:24 pm: Alex Carey dismissed by Navdeep Saini. Australia-A struggles against the reverse swing of Saini. Ball pitches just outside off, Carey pokes at it and edges. Keeper K.S. Bharat grabs a fantastic low, diving catch.
1:01 pm:Main man Travis Head is dismissed. K. Gowtham fires one in flat. Ball pitches on middle and takes out off stump. Head caught fending on the crease. He's gone for 87. A 50-run stand between Head and Labuschagne comes to an end. Australia-A on 184/5.
12:32 pm: Head (70 n.o.) continues going strong as the Aussies bring up the 150 at the end of 50 overs.
Marnus Labuschagne is the new man in.
12:20 pm: A disastrous start for Australia-A post the lunch break as skipper Mitchell Marsh is run out by his opposite number Shreyas Iyer. The visitor is essentially 108/4.
11:30 am: Lunch is called. Aus-A on 134/3, a lead of 103 runs. Travis Head (58 n.o.) holds the key. He has looked composed and fluent so far.
11:23 am:100-run lead for Australia-A. Travis Head has anchored this innings with a half-century. He now has skipper Mitchell Marsh for company.
11:00 am:Peter Handscomb falls. Goes forward to defend one from offie K. Gowtham, and gets an edge to slip. Handscomb's poor run on this tour continues. He has scores of 2, 2 (both List-A), 0, 8 (both in this match)
10:41 am : 100 up for Australia-A and lead is up by 69 runs.
Siraj continues his terrific form. The Hyderabad pacer now has 43 wickets in 11 innings. Expect him to add to that tally by the end of today's play.
10:25 am: Breakthrough for India-A! And it's that man again, Mohammed Siraj, who bowls the in-form Khawaja through his defence! 10 wickets in the match for the pacer. Siraj gets a ball to angle in and straighten to Khawaja. The southpaw is squared up and loses his off stump.
Peter Handscomb joins Head in the middle. Australia-A 97-2.
10:07 am: The overnight batsmen have scored at a good click so far this morning. Run-rate of nearly 3.50 as Australia-A has raced to 83 with a lead of 52.
9:41 am: Australia-A has gone past 50, with the partnership between Travis Head and Usman Khawaja now nearing a 50 of its own (49, to be precise).
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Stumps DAY 2: Australia-A leads by 11 runs. (U. Khawaja 16 n.o., T. Head 16 n.o.) - Report
Scores in brief
Australia-A: 243 all out (U. Khawaja 127; M. Siraj 8/59)
India-A: 274 all out (A. Bawne 91 n.o.; M. Neser 4/61)
Australia-A: 42-1 (U. Khawaja 16 n.o.; M. Siraj 1/20)
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