Agar’s five-for puts Australia ‘A’ in final

Zampa finds his moment during a tricky chase

Left-armer Ashton Agar used his height to good advantage to strike at regular intervals and keep India ‘A’ to 258. Photo: M. Moorthy

Finishing off a game is an art. In a contest of several twists at Chepauk on Monday, Australia ‘A’ displayed end-game skills. The home side didn’t.

The promising Adam Zampa had delivered his leg-spinners, wrong’uns and flippers without luck in the first half of the day. Then, with Australia struggling at 178 for six, chasing 259, the 23-year-old New South Welshman found his moment.

As dust settled at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Zampa (54, 49, 7x4, 1x6) emerged the hero. Along with a calm Callum Ferguson (45 not out, 63b, 2x4), Zampa added 80 in 81 deliveries in a game-clinching seventh-wicket association. The visitor was home by three wickets.

Using his feet, a nerveless Zampa cover-drove with panache and the calculated Ferguson rotated the strike. The Indian shoulders drooped, the length shortened and the pressure eased.

Three on the trot

With its third successive victory, Australia ‘A’ has entered the final of the Paytm tri-nation one-day ‘A’ series. Left-arm spinner Agar, who scalped five, was adjudged ‘Man-of-the-Match’.

India ‘A’ had its chances. Karn Sharma got his line right against the southpaws after the pacemen disappointed. A well-set Travis Head (45) and wicket-keeper batsman Matthew Wade were foxed by deliveries flighted across them from over the wicket and then consumed by turn.

Karn, though, was unlucky to see Chris Lynn (on 25) dropped by Rishi Dhawan at point. Using his feet and, on occasions, bludgeoning the sphere, Lynn raced to 63 (61b, 5x4, 3x6) before attempting a cut and playing on to left-armer Axar Patel.

Both Dhawal Kulkarni and Sandeep Sharma have their limitations in pace and the new ball was wasted. The duo needed to swing the ball or move it off the surface. They could achieve neither on a hot Chennai afternoon.

Earlier, Agar held centre-stage. For quite some time now, tentative play has undermined Indian batting against spinners from outside the sub-continent.

Alarming development

It’s a rather alarming development and the lack of decisive footwork has been evident. Dearth of quality spinners at home and the absence of sporting tracks have been the primary causes.

Under the circumstances, it was hardly surprising that the India ‘A’ batsmen struggled against Agar’s spin.

The 21-year-old Agar has an easy, languid approach and delivers from a high-arm action. Being tall, he extracts natural bounce, and does get the ball to turn. The delivery that spun across a bemused Mayank Agarwal to bowl him was a beauty.

“The delivery grips on surfaces here. That ball did pretty much everything and I am pleased with the end result,” said Agar.

Before his dismissal, Agarwal (61, 61b, 7x4, 1x6) batted fluently at the top of the order after India ‘A’ had elected to bat.

A bleeding Manish Pandey retired hurt with the team score on 38 for one after colliding with Wade while going for a second run; the helmet grill crashed into the batsman’s chin.

Pandey returned at 156 for five in 32.3 overs. The spunky right-hander’s 50 (38b, 2x4, 2x6) was an innings of courage and enterprise. “I had three stitches. It’s all a part of the game,” said Pandey later.

Sadly, most of the India ‘A’ batsmen did not show similar character.

The scores: India ‘A’: M. Agarwal b Agar 61, Unmukt Chand c Wade b Pattinson 5, M. Pandey c Head b Sandhu 50, Karun Nair b Agar 32, K. Jadhav c Ferguson b Agar 0, S. Samson c Pattinson b Agar 23, Axar Patel c Handscomb b Agar 20, Karn Sharma c Wade b Sandhu 18, R. Dhawan (not out) 26, D. Kulkarni run out 8, Sandeep Sharma (not out) 3; Extras (nb-1, w-6, b-4, lb-1): 12; Total (for nine wkts. in 50 overs): 258.

Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-98, 3-98, 4-115, 5-156, 6-161, 7-217, 8-225, 9-247.

Australia ‘A’ bowling: Pattinson 5-1-23-1, Fekete 9-0-46-0, Sandhu 10-0-66-2, Zampa 10-1-48-0, Agar 10-0-39-5, Head 6-0-31-0.

Australia ‘A’: U. Khawaja c Samson b Dhawan 18, T. Head b Karn 45, C. Lynn b Axar 63, P. Handscomb c Agarwal b Karn 19, C. Ferguson (not out) 45, M. Wade b Karn 5, A. Agar st. Samson b Karun 0, A. Zampa b Sandeep 54, J. Pattinson (not out) 0; Extras (nb-1, w-4, lb-8): 13; Total (for seven wkts. in 48.3 overs): 262.

Fall of wickets: 1-58, 2-94, 3-153, 4-157, 5-177, 6-178, 7-258.

India ‘A’ bowling: Kulkarni 5-0-39-0, Sandeep 7-0-43-1, Dhawan 7.3-0-38-1, Axar 10-0-45-1, Karun 8-0-34-1, Karn 10-0-45-3, Unmukt 1-0-10-0.

Toss: India ‘A’.

Man-of-the-match: Agar.

Australia ‘A’ won by three wickets with nine deliveries remaining .