New Delhi: Australia A fast bowler bowled a brilliant spell and picked up wickets to bundle India A out for 107 runs in 47.4 overs in Great Barrier Reef Arena at Mackay. Australia A capitalised on the favourable conditions after opting to bowl first. Doggett led the Australian attack and caused damage to the Indian batting lineup.
Indian batters struggled to bat first in the overcast conditions as Doggett removed captain Ruturaj Gaikwad for a first-ball duck. After his wicket, Doggett took five more wickets, including crucial wickets of Ishan Kishan, Devdutt Padikkal and Prasidh Krishna.
Doggett did exceptionally well and maintained his accuracy and pace throughout the innings and rattled the Indian top and middle order. Sai Sudharsan and Abhimanyu Easwaran tried to stitch a partnership but Australian bowlers took wickets at regular intervals with disciplined line and length.
Navdeep Saini smashed a few boundaries and took India’s score past 100 but Murphy and Buckingham cleaned the Indian lower order. Padikkal scored 36 runs off 77 balls while Navdeep Saini also amassed 23 runs off 43 balls.
Doggett took six wickets and Buckingham also picked up two wickets, putting Australia in a commanding position in the first unofficial Test.
Brendan Doggett’s career-best figures of 6-15 from 11 overs rocked India A on the opening day of their tour down under 📉
Follow LIVE: https://t.co/swI15JvRdh pic.twitter.com/HdkbyKV1bZ
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 31, 2024
Australia A 15/2 at tea
After the horrific performance from Indian batters, the bowlers did a great job with the ball and picked up two early wickets to put some pressure back on the hosts. Mukesh Kumar removed Sam Konstas on a duck in the first over while Prasidh Krishna dismissed Cameron Bancroft on a duck in the fourth over of the match.
Mukesh gets Konstas in the first over! #AUSAvINDA pic.twitter.com/8E61yX0zTM
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 31, 2024
After this, India A will play one more Test match against Australia A at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, starting on November 7.
India A squad: Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Abhimanyu Easwaran (VC), Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Devdutt Padikkal, Ricky Bhui, Baba Indrajith, Ishan Kishan (WK), Abishek Porel (WK), Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal, Navdeep Saini, Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian
