Pragyan Ojha takes five to put hosts on top
Earlier, the Indians pinned the batsmen down as Australia crashed to 268 all out from 244 for six
By : c. santhosh kumar
Update: 2015-07-25 02:56 GMT
Chennai: Pacer Gurinder Sandhu’s quirky idea to roll his arm over and Australia’s brilliance in fielding lit up an otherwise uneventful penultimate day here at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. India ‘A’ grabbed a lead of 154 runs in the four-day match to leave the contest interestingly poised, but the big question is whether the hosts, who were 121 for three in 46 overs at stumps, would dare to declare after the first hour on the final day to push for an outright win.
After shutting out the visitors for 268 in 99.3 overs for a first innings lead of 33, India began their second essay on a cautious note. Abhinav Mukund (40), who had a disappointing first innings, and K.L. Rahul (29) allowed as many as five maidens in the first 10 overs.
Earlier, the Indians pinned the batsmen down as Australia crashed to 268 all out from 244 for six. In the process, left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha celebrated his five-wicket haul — 31-3-85-5.
ScoreBoard
India ‘A’ 1st innings: 301
Australia ‘A’ 1st innings: C. Bancroft c N. Ojha b Mithun 2, U. Khawaja c Mukund b P. Ojha 25, T. Head c Mishra b P. Ojha 31, P. Handscomb st N. Ojha b Mishra 91, N. Maddinson c Nair b P. Ojha 0, M. Stoinis c Shankar b PP Ojha 77, M. Wade c Mukund b Mishra 2, S. Abbott run out (Yadav) 7, S. O’Keefe (not out) 10, G. Sandhu b P. Ojha 0, A. Fekete c Rahul b Mishra 12.
Extras (b-8, lb-2, nb-1) 11. Total (in 99.3 overs) 268.
FoW: 1-7, 2-57, 3-75, 4-75, 5-229, 6-233, 7-246, 8-248, 9-248.
Bowling: Yadav 17-5-44-0, Mithun 13-3-32-1, Shankar 11-4-24-0, Ojha 31-3-85-5, Mishra 24.3-7-55-3, Nair 3-0-18-0.
India ‘A’ 2nd innings: KL Rahul c Maddinson b Head 29, A. Mukund c Bancroft b Sandhu 40, C. Pujara c Handscomb b Sandhu 42, K. Nair (batting) 4, S. Iyer (not out) 4.
Extras (lb-2) 2. Total (for three wickets in 46 overs) 121.
FoW: 1-39, 2-110, 3-117.
Bowling: Sandhu 11-5-13-2, Fekete 4-1-18-0, O'Keefe 17-3-54-0, Head 7-3-20-1, Abbott 5-1-13-0, Stoinis 2-1-1-0.