Mayank ton helps India 'B' drub India 'A'

Local lads Prasidh Krishna (four for 50) and Mayank Agarwal (124, 114b, 14x4, 3x6) propelled India ‘B’ to a seven-wicket victory over India 'A' in the Quadrangular Series one-day tournament at Alur grounds here on Saturday.

Mayank Agarwal on way to his century in Alur on Saturday.

Local lads Prasidh Krishna (four for 50) and Mayank Agarwal (124, 114b, 14x4, 3x6) propelled India ‘B’ to a seven-wicket victory over India-A in the Quadrangular Series one-day tournament at Alur grounds here on Saturday.

Pacer Krishna collected his second-straight four-for haul, while Mayank notched up his fourth century in his last seven List A appearances. Mayank, who has been prolific in first-class cricket as well, can do no wrong. The Karnataka opener welcomed state-mate K. Gowtham into the attack by smashing the off-spinner for two huge sixes over long-on. He brought up his century with two back-foot punches off left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya. For the umpteenth time in the last year or so, Mayank pulled out his trademark jump and fist-pump celebrations.

Chasing 218, India-B reached the target comfortably with 8.5 overs to spare. A 97-run second-wicket partnership between Shubman Gill (42, 45b, 4x4) and Mayank set the chase on track, and India-A found no way back.

Earlier, India-A huffed and puffed its way to a below-par total.

Krishna took out the top-three batters – R. Samarth (0), Suryakumar Yadav (11) and captain Shreyas Iyer (20) – in quick time to reduce the side to 45 for three. The trio had a tough time negotiating Krishna’s tight length and in-swingers.

Ambati Rayudu (48, 75b) and Sanju Samson (32, 50b) steadied the ship, before K. Gowtham got the score moving with an entertaining 32-ball 35. Gowtham’s three sixes, through mid-wicket and long-off, brought loud cheers from the goodly crowd.

Leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal chipped in with two crucial wickets of Rayudu and Samson. While Rayudu played all around a full delivery to lose his stump, Samson skied one to the hands of Kedhar Jadhav at point.

At the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Travis Head's 110 helped Australia ‘A’ defeat South Africa-A by 32 runs.

The scores

India ‘A’: 217 in 49 overs (Ambati Rayudu 48, K. Gowtham 35, Sanju Samson 32, Prasidh Krishna four for 50) lost to India ‘B’: 218 for three in 41.1 overs (Ishan Kishan 25, Mayank Agarwal 124, Shubman Gill 42).

Australia ‘A’: 322 for five in 50 overs (Marnus Labuschagne 65, Travis Head 110, D'Arcy Short 49, Mathew Renshaw 42 not out) beat South Africa ‘A’ 290 in 48.4 overs (K. Zondo 117, G. Cloete 50, Sarel Erwee 37, F. Robert 30, Mitchell Swepson three for 40).