Good morning all and welcome to Sportstar 's LIVE coverage of the second unofficial Test match between India-A and Australia-A. Our reporter Ayan Acharya will bring you updates from Alur.
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03.35 PM: That's stumps on day one of the second unofficial Test between India A and Australia A. Mitchell Marsh going strong on 86, Neser on 44. With no imminent threat in the wicket, the Indian fielders might be in for a leather hunt on Sunday. Australia A 290/6.
03.05 PM: India A has taken the new ball after 84.4 overs. Australia A 271/6, Marsh on 72, Neser on 39. That dropped catch of Marsh will start hurting the Indians right about now.
03.10 PM: Mitchell Marsh brings up his half-century (52 off 97 balls) - an important knock in context of this innings. That should inspire some confidence in the selectors. He has played a captain's innings so far; key is to not undo the good work with a brash shot.
02.55 PM: At Tea, Australia A is 220/6, captain Mitchell Marsh (43*) is accompanied by M. Neser (17*) on. Three wickets coming in that session, could've been four but for the dropped chance of Marsh. That dropped catch has cost India 17 runs, already. But more than the runs, it's the confidence that Marsh will gain from the grassed opportunity. That is perhaps the only false stroke he has played so far. Looking good for a half-century and maybe more!
02:23 PM: 200 up for Australia A in 63.4 overs, Micthell Marsh not out and on 34, Neser on 8. Marsh needs to make the most of that reprieve.
02:09 PM: Michael Neser has faced 17 deliveries and is yet to get off the mark. Much depends on Mitchell Marsh now, the captain holding the innings together with a patient knock of 27 so far. Australia-A 185/6 after 61 overs.
02:06 PM: Mitchell Marsh gets a reprieve. India's ploy of having a leg slip would have paid off but for Samarth's drop.
01:57 PM:
01:49 PM: WICKET! Krishnappa Gowtham has struck, removing Ashton Agar for 23 just when a partnership was building. Agar loses his stumps trying to play the sweep. Australia-A 180/6 and Gowtham has his first wicket of the match. Seamer Michael Neser is the new batsman in.
01:37 PM: Ashton Agar is off to a start which he will want to capitalise on. He is batting on 21 in a sixth-wicket partnership of 31 so far! Australia-A 171/5 in the 55th over.
01:22 PM:
01:07 PM:Another one bites the dust and it's Kuldeep once again. Marnus Labuschagne hits one straight down the fielder's throat at deep mid-wicket! Australia A has lost half the side for 141!
12:57 PM:Kuldeep Yadav strikes right after lunch and it's the big wicket of Travis Head! The southpaw misjudged the length and stepped out, only to miss the ball completely; easy stumping for K.S. Bharat in the end. Australia A 136/4.
12:47 PM: Spin from both ends post lunch - Kuldeep and Nadeem bowling in tandem. Australia A 132/3.
12:01 PM: That will be lunch at Alur. Aus A three down for 128 after 38 overs. Gurbani drew first blood before Patterson and Head put up 95 runs for the second wicket to bail the visitor out of trouble.S. Nadeem, though, struck back with two quick wkts.Head going strong on 63.
11:52 AM: WICKET! Handscomb's struggles against spin bowling continue as he falls to Nadeem for eight. Australia A 125/3 on the stroke on lunch. Travis Head un-flinched on 62. Skipper Mitchell Marsh is the new batsman in.
11:38 AM:
11:33 AM: Travis Head brings up his 50 with a glorious lofted hit over mid-on for four. This has been a top knock fro Head, who has been in great form throughout this tour. He has used his feet against the spinners and rotated the strike regularly.
11:30 AM: Australia A brings up its 100 in 29.2 overs , Travis Head motoring along at 46. The silly-point is back for Handscomb. Kuldeep Yadav to start his second spell .
11:21 AM: OUT! Patterson departs for a well-made 48 off 71 balls , S. Nadeem with the breakthrough! Australia A 95/2 after 27.1 overs. The new batsman in is Peter Handscomb.
10:49 AM: Change of bowling for India A. Shahbaz Nadeem replaces Kuldeep Yadav.
10:47 AM: Patterson steps out and drives the ball past the bowler Kuldeep Yadav for four. The NSW batsman has impressed with his feet movement and intent.
10:32 AM: Head and Patterson have added 50 runs for the second wicket. No signs of trouble yet - neither from the pitch nor from the bowlers. Renshaw will believe he has missed out on a golden opportunity to get some runs and game time under his belt.
Australia-A reaches the 50-run mark in 14.4 overs for the loss of 1 wicket.
10:20 AM: Positive cricket from both Head and Patterson - using their feet well, going deep in the crease. They've managed to get rid of the close-in fielder (silly-point).
10:19 AM:
10:13 AM: Bowling change again - Spin from both ends as Kuldeep Yadav replaces Deepak Chahar. Silly point and slip for Kuldeep.
10:11 AM: Head and Patterson have used the cut shot to good effect so far. A bowling change as off-spinner K. Gowtham replaces Rajneesh Gurbani. Gowtham has a silly-point in place for Patterson.
10:04 AM: Rajneesh Gurbani has been expensive thus far, his three overs going for 23 as Australia A reaches 33 for the loss of one wicket. Patterson and Head growing in confidence with each shot.
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SportstarLive wishes Shubman Gill a very Happy Birthday! A right-hand top-order batsman from Punjab, this Knight Rider is known for his power hitting and was hence made the vice-captain of the Indian side at the 2018 U-19 World Cup.
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09:39 AM: GONE! Rajneesh Gurbani strikes with the second ball of his first over as Matt Renshaw departs for a duck - not the kind of comeback Renshaw would've wanted. Next man in - Travis Head.
09:30 AM: Matt Renshaw and Kurtis Patterson open for Australia A, Deepak Chahar to start proceedings with the new ball.
09:27 AM: Chairman of selectors, M.S.K Prasad, is in attendance as we gear up for the first day's play between India A and Australia A. Good opportunity to impress for the likes of Deepak Chahar and Rajneesh Gurbani - especially with the WI series around the corner.
09:18 AM: Kurtis Patterson replaces Usman Khawaja in Australia A playing XI. Patterson averages 41.11 in 50 first-class matches for New South Wales. He has 23 fifties, and five hundreds.
09:17 AM: Is it?
09:08 AM:
08:54 AM: Bright and sunny here at Alur with bit of a chill in the air. Perfect conditions for an engaging day of Test cricket.
08:50 AM: Word on the ground is Mayank Agarwal and M. Siraj will not play at Alur. Both players had impressed in Bengaluru, but the think-tank wants to try out other players. Fair call considering Dravid and the team management's mandate.
08:38 AM:
08:33 AM:
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Australia-A, following its 98-run win over the host in the first unofficial Test, will look to sign off its India tour on a winning note (PREVIEW)
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On Friday afternoon, as the India A cricketers trained, Rahul Dravid was the man of the moment, as he closely surveyed his wards toiling hard at the nets. (REPORT)
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 was ignored for tours to India and Bangladesh last year. This is the Victorian spinner's chance to set the record straight, now that he also has six wickets in the last unofficial Test to show for.
With Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood sidelined by injuries, this is also a good opportunity for Neser to stake claim for a place in the Australian side for the two Tests against Pakistan.
Also, Mitchell Swepson, a leg-spinner rated highly by Warne, bowled for nearly 30 minutes at the nets at Alur on Friday. He beat the bat a few times and nearly snaffled a rather difficult return catch.
He had watched from the bench as his spin counterpart, Jon Holland, had powered the visitor to victory at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium in the first unofficial test. Our reporter, Ayan Acharya caught up with him ahead of the second unofficial Test as he looks to be in the thick of the action. (READ)
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