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Australia ‘A’ struggles against spin

K.C. Vijaya Kumar

The visitors are eight down, 22 runs short of the follow-on mark

— Photo. K. Bhagya Prakash

ALL ROUND SHOW: Piyush Chawla scored a half-century to take India ‘A’ to a respectable total and then returned to take two wickets with his leg-breaks.

Bangalore: The Aussies froze on the backfoot against spin in a rain-marred match in which India ‘A’ gained gained the upper hand. At close on the second day at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Australia ‘A’ mustered 113 for eight in reply to India ‘A’s 284.

Indian ‘A’ found its resurgence initially through the willows of Mohammad Kaif (94), Virat Kohli (49) and Piyush Chawla (66). Later, Chawla in his regular garb of a leg-spinner, scalped two and off-spinner Mohnish Parmar grabbed three to leave Simon Katich’s men needing another 22 runs to avoid follow-on. The visitor needs to score 135 to avoid the ignominy of batting again but with rain being imminent, play may be affected on the third and final day.

Surprised

If Katich’s men were busy devising plans to counter spin and turns of plot, they were caught by surprise as opener Phillip Hughes and No. 3 Adam Voges missed the line and watched their stumps fall against seamers Dhawal Kulkarni and S.R. Tyagi. Katich however swivelled and pulled a few while Marcus North (41) dismissed Tyagi to square-leg and past the cover picket.

The duo seemed set to salvage the innings when Katich shifted onto his backfoot, offered no shot to Parmar and was trapped in front. Later, North tried to get his bat out of the way but Chawla’s delivery reared up, brushed the blade and dropped onto the bails. At 87 for four and with a top-order back in the dressing room, the visitor relied on George Bailey’s (37 n.o.) aggression; he eased the front foot and freed his arms for some powerful drives. However, the support cast failed to thrive, staying leaden-footed against the spinners.

Earlier, the Indian innings stuttered with the top-order’s poor shot-selection after a rain-induced late start on Wednesday.

However Kaif (94, 207b, 15x4, 1x6) exhibited decisive footwork against Bryce McGain (three for 51), driving and even hoisting the leg-spinner for a six. And though a few early snicks off the seamers had the slip-cordon interested, Kaif hung in and along with an aggressive Kohli, shared a crucial 95-run fifth-wicket partnership.

Left-arm spinner Beau Casson, who suffered a hamstring injury, bowled just one over while on the second day, a shoulder-strain left McGain on the sidelines

Kohli however was done in by the surprise bounce of Douglas Bollinger on the second day afternoon after overnight rains again ruled out play in the morning.

Kaif, with a deserved hundred in sight, gave part-timer Marcus North the charge and found a patient Bollinger at mid-off.

Chawla (66, 85b, 10x4, 1x6) however kept finding the fence, leaning into his drives as the seamers bowled full and also offered him width while they tried to spear a few in the block-hole.

Eventually Chawla fell with a wild hoick as the tail failed to wag around him.

The scores:

India ‘A’ — 1st innings: R. Uthappa c Casson b McGain 22, A. Rahane c Ronchi b Bollinger 6, Parthiv lbw b McGain 13, S. Badrinath b McGain 10, M. Kaif c Bollinger b North 94, V. Kohli c Katich b Bollinger 49, P. Chawla b Noffke 66, Vinay Kumar lbw b Bollinger 0, M. Parmar lbw b Bollinger 0, D. Kulkarni c & b Siddle 6, S.R. Tyagi (not out) 0, Extras: (lb-2, nb-16) 18. Total (in 89.4 overs) 284.

Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-46, 3-48, 4-90, 5-185, 6-237, 7-261, 8-267, 9-280.

Australia ‘A’ bowling: Bollinger 29-6-59-4, Noffke 19.4-4-67-1, McGain 17-5-51-3, Siddle 15-6-27-1, Casson 1-0-7-0, North 13-1-53-1, Voges 3-0-18-0.

Australia ‘A’ — 1st innings: P. Hughes b Dhawal 1, S. Katich lbw b Parmar 22, A. Voges b Tyagi 0, M. North b Chawla 41, G. Bailey (batting) 37, L. Ronchi lbw b Piyush 2, A. Noffke lbw b Parmar 1, P. Siddle (run out) 0, B. Casson lbw b Parmar 4, Extras (lb-1, nb-3, w-1) 5. Total (for eight wkts. in 44.5 overs): 113.

Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-7, 3-45, 4-87, 5-89, 6-92, 7-99, 8-113.

India ‘A’ bowling: Dhawal 7-1-15-1, Tyagi 5-2-16-1, Vinay Kumar 6-3-8-0, Parmar 15.5-3-37-3, Chawla 11-3-36-2.

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