Pretoria, Aug 14:
India ‘A’ today clinched the cricket tri-series title with a comfortable 50-run victory over Australia ‘A’ in a low-scoring final, relying on a clinical display by their bowlers.
Opting to bat on a placid strip, India could manage only 243 in 49.2 overs with Shikhar Dhawan (65) and Dinesh Karthik (73) being the notable contributors.
The Indian bowlers, who had been woefully out of sorts in the tournament, then managed to bowl out the Aussies for 193 in 46.3 overs to guide the team to victory at the LC de Villiers Oval.
It was India’s fifth ‘A’ tournament victory since the concept was introduced in 1994.
The ‘law of averages’ finally caught up with the Australians in a final that turned out to be an anti-climax of sorts with the Indians successfully avenging their twin defeats at the round robin league stage.
Speedster Mohammed Shami (2/30) dealt initial blows to Australia ‘A’ and the likes of Shahbaz Nadeem (3/34 in 10 overs), Parvez Rasool (1/30 in 10 overs), Ishwar Chand Pandey (1/47 in 8 overs), Suresh Raina (1/33 in 10 overs) kept the Aussie batsmen under tight leash.
Shami started by cleaning up rival skipper Aaron Finch (20) who went for a wild slog after hitting the bowler for a big six in an earlier over.
Left-hander Shaun Marsh (11), who has had a fine tournament, was Shami’s second victim as he hit a length ball straight to Indian captain Cheteshwar Pujara at mid-on.
Glenn Maxwell (12) started with a six and four but was sent back by part-time off-spinner Raina, who opened the bowling alongside Shami. Maxwell tried to slog him past mid-wicket but was holed out to Pujara as Australia were reduced to 50 for three.
It soon became 53 for five when left-hander Nick Maddinson edged one to Raina at first slip off Pandey’s bowling and Mitchell Marsh failed to beat a Rohit Sharma throw as ‘keeper Wriddhiman Saha whipped off the bails in a flash.
Moises Henriques (20) lofted Dhawan for couple of sixes but was sent back by Nadeem trying to cut one that went to Raina at slips. Nathan Coultier-Nile tried to give Nadeem the charge as Saha effected a smart stumping.
At 88 for seven, there was no looking back for the Indians but Josh Hazlewood (30) and Tim Paine (47) fiought hard to add 54 runs for the eighth wicket before he was stumped by Saha off Nadeem’s bowling. Paine was then cleaned up by Rasool as India finished off the match when Fawad Ahmed was out due to a horrible mix-up with Gurinder Sandhu.(PTI)
SCOREBOARD
India A Innings: 243 (all out; 49.2 overs)
Rohit Sharma lbw b Hazlewood 6
Shikhar Dhawan c Paine b Henriques 62
Cheteshwar Pujara c Finch b Maxwell 1
Dinesh Karthik b Coulter-Nile 73
Suresh Raina lbw b M Marsh 17
Ambati Rayudu b Hazlewood 34
Wriddhiman Saha c Maxwell b Henriques 31
Parvez Rasool c Hazlewood b Coulter-Nile 5
Ishwar Pandey b Coulter-Nile 1
Mohammed Shami b Hazlewood 3
Shahbaz Nadeem not out 0
Bowling: Josh Hazlewood 10-1-31-3, Gurinder Sandhu 6-0-50-0, Glenn Maxwell 5-1-24-1, Nathan Coulter-Nile 9.2-1-35-3, Fawad Ahmed 6-0-42-0, Moises Henriques 10-0-47-2, Mitchell Marsh 3-0-11-1.
Australia A Innings: 193 (all out, 46.3 over)
Aaron Finch b Mohammed Shami 20
Shaun Marsh c Pujara b Mohammed Shami 11
Nic Maddinson c Raina b Pandey 7
Glenn Maxwell c Pujara b Raina 12
Mitchell Marsh run out 2
Moises Henriques c Raina b Nadeem 20
Tim Paine b Parvez Rasool 47
Nathan Coulter-Nile st Saha b Nadeem 5
Josh Hazlewood st Saha b Nadeem 30
Gurinder Sandhu not out 21
Fawad Ahmed run out 9
Bowling: Mohammed Shami 7.3-1-30-2, Suresh Raina 10-1-33-1, Ishwar Pandey 8-1-47-1, Shahbaz Nadeem 10-1-34-3, Shikhar Dhawan 1-0-13-0, Parvez Rasool 10-1-30-1. (PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel