McSweeney, Beardman Set Up Big Australia A Win Over India A In First One-dayer

McSweeney, Beardman set up big Australia A win over India A in first one-dayer (Nathan McSweeney, Mahli Beardman set up big Australia A win over India A in first one-dayer at the Siechem Stadium in Puducherry on Tuesday. Photo credit: cricket.com.au)

Nathan McSweeney:  Nathan McSweeney hit a century and medium pacer Mahli Beardman ripped open India A’s top order with a 4-23 haul as Australia A won by 125 runs in the first of the three-match 'One-day' series at the Siechem Stadium in Puducherry on Tuesday.

McSweeney struck 123 off 135 balls, studded with 13 boundaries, recording his second List A hundred. He put on 141 for the sixth wicket in 23.2 overs with skipper Will Sutherland (77, 68b, 2x4, 4x6) to lift the visitors to a competitive 274 all out in 48.2 overs.

Opting to bat first, Australia A were reeling at 87/5 before McSweeney and Will Sutherland got into the rescue act.

Defending a modest total, the 21-year-old Beardman, who returned his career-best figures, dismissed Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal and wicketkeeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh to push India A onto the back foot at 24/3 by the fourth over.

Soon, left-arm fast bowler Spencer Johnson scalped skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad to make it 58/4 to scupper the home side’s chances of a strong fightback.

India A were bowled out for 149, with Rajat Patidar top-scoring with 53 (51b, 5x4, 1x6) for his 14th List A fifty.

The visitors lost half their side by the 17th over to some top-drawer bowling before a dominant McSweeney-Sutherland stand turned it around, with the latter also blasting three successive sixes off left-arm spinner Anukul Roy.

Re-introduced into the attack in the 40th over, young medium-fast bowler Suryansh Shedge, who was called up as an injury replacement for Hardik Pandya, broke the stand by dismissing Sutherland, who recorded his fifth List A fifty, clean bowled.

In his following over, Shedge dismissed Todd Murphy and Spencer Johnson off successive deliveries, both caught behind, to record his second List A four-wicket haul. McSweeney fell to Thakur, caught behind for Prabhsimran’s fourth catch of the match.

The second One-Day will be played on Oct 9 and the final match on Oct 11.

Brief scores:

The second One-Day will be played on Oct 9 and the final match on Oct 11.

Article Source: IANS